share our JOY

JOY{filled}family

striving to radiate Him always

Word of the Year

by Filed Under: Motto, New Year, Prayer, Word of the Year 5 Comments

“Almighty Father, I place the Precious Blood of Jesus before my lips before I pray, that my prayers may be purified before they ascend to Your divine altar.” ~St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

I desired to adopt a word for the year.  It was a fruitful exercise for me last year and felt that I could use a simple reminder of His call for me.

I struggled with coming up with a word.  Finally, I asked Dad to pick one for me.  He told me to go to my saint for the year, St. Mary Magdalen Pazzi.  Praise God for the headship of my family.  It was the exact place that I needed to go.  The word was immediately made known.  It’s not original or flashy–the word is PRAY.pray - crucifix

Everything starts with prayer.  Prayer is where I hear His voice.  Prayer in Adoration, in celebration of the Mass, in my work, in times of trials, in times of jubilation, in union with Dad, with my family, for others, united in sacrifice and penance, in the tears that I shed,….I must pray in all things at all times.
I desire to do all things for the greater glory of God and I trust that, through prayer, He will show me the way.

I’m not abandoning any of my previous words.  In fact, through this practice, they have been imprinted on my heart.  Perfection is not sought.  My goal is only to move closer to Him and do His will.

“Our prayer must be humble, fervent, resigned, persevering, and deeply reverent, for we must reflect that we are in the presence of a God and speaking with a Lord before Whom the Angels tremble out of respect and fear.” ~ St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi
~~~
2012 Motto
Be Charitable.
Be Useful.
Be Gentle.
Be Joyful.
Pray always.
Forget about yourself.
ALL FOR!


In His JOY,

 

The Lettered Cottage

Resourceful

by Filed Under: Crafts, Frugal Living, Gifts, New Year, Simplicity

Dad and I have made a pact, we will not be buying anything this year.  In other words, no shopping.  We will only purchase whole, clean food and personal necessities.  It’s a call that has been on our heart for sometime now but we I have resisted.  We are now cooperating with His grace and moving forward.
We are very limited with our financial resources and are facing some more difficult times.  All of which, have been answers to prayers.  The Good Lord is making it easy for us to know His will.
We have nothing to fear.  We are not going without and trust in His providence.  All of our needs are being met, praise God.

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  ~ Matthew 6:25-26

We pray that we grow to be better stewards of our blessings (monetary, physical, spiritual,–all things).

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.   Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
~ Matthew 6:33-34
~~~

No shopping doesn’t mean no crafting or gift giving.  The kids and I will use what we have on hand. Here are a few of our latest creations.  I did purchase some prints of the photos that I had taken.
knitting
Sweetie is my focus group when it comes to all things Little Flowers.  I usually have her do a trial run of the LF craft for the month.  This gives me a good idea of the level of difficulty for the craft and about how long the craft will take.  This month’s craft has to do with knitting.
photo canvas
I took family photographs for Christmas gifts.  I used the photos to create photo canvases.  I printed enlargements at Costco and applied them to my stash of canvases.  (The canvases have been sitting in the bag for almost six years now.  I had intended to create personalized paintings.)
Photo CanvasPhot
Rose and I made personalized trinkets for Dad’s co-workers and her girlfriends.  The pictures below don’t do these creations justice.  They’re simple, fun and absolutely darling.
stamped metal tagsstamped washer

~~~
I hope to use up all my craft supplies this year.  I’ll be sharing my creations at the weekly Stash Bash and Pinning it Down.

What do you eat?

by Filed Under: Clean Eating, Dinner, Lunch 5 Comments

It’s a question that I get a lot when others find out about my family’s lifestyle change.  Here are a few pics of some of our latest dishes.  They’re tasty, easy meals—nothing fancy.
baked apple pork chopbaked apple pork chops
rose made this dish on her dinner night.  we loved it!  savory and sweet.
sweet potato soup
i love soups during all times of the year.  they’re perfect for meatless fridays.  this is so yummy that papi, my 4 year old, eats it hot or cold.
egg salad
here’s another friday meal, egg salad wraps.  sometimes we use cucumbers to dip in the egg salad.
tri-tip dinner
simple and cheap  dinner that we usually have once a week.  we generally make enough for left overs, lunch or snack.  here we served it up with baked sweet potato and a simple salad with home made dressing.  (this was the kid’s plate.  dad and I serve ourselves more meat and greens.)
oriental chicken salad
I used to make this salad with packaged seasoning and crunchy noodles.  this version is a healthier option.  we enjoy this for lunch, dinner, or snack.  the kids miss the crunchy noodles but are happy to have the crunch of the slivered almonds.
taco night
taco night doesn’t look the same these days and we’re loving it. seasoned ground beef with diced peppers and avocado, served up with organic salsa.  i prefer the lettuce shell but rose likes to turn it into taco salad.
pulled pork
dad needed a dish to take to a work party.  i wanted to be sure that he had a hearty option.  rose and i prepared this dish for dad in the mid-afternoon.  we slow cooked it in our wanna-be dutch oven.  it was ready six hours later, just in time for dad’s shift.
it was a hit and has become one of dad’s favorite.  papi ate the leftovers for lunch the next day.  it’s a bit spicy for me.
(next time i’ll remember to take an after picture.)

***
i’ve marked these meals in my new recipe book on pinterest and i’m sharing this post at the following parties.
pinning it down
pinterest to real life
***

***update***
here are the links to the recipes that i used or that inspired my dishes.
(I’ll post my dressing for the Oriental Salad when I take measurements, the next time I make it.)

Curtain Aprons

by Filed Under: Crafts, Gifts, Little Flowers

I held my fourth Little Flowers meeting in early December.  The girls made a simple Curtain Apron for their craft.  It was a lovely craft edition for the meeting since St. Martha is a patron saint of homemakers.  The apron was intended to be gifted for Christmas.

LF finished curtain apron

Curtain Apron

this is an up-cycle craft

Supplies:

  • valance style curtain (I purchased 18 valances from my local thrift store to create aprons for 36 girls)
  • ribbon (I used a min of 1.5 yards of ribbon for ea. apron)
  • scissors
  • safety pin

Approximate cost of ea. apron (if items need to be purchased) – $2

Approximate cost of ea. apron (if items are on hand) – FREE

LF curtain aprons

Directions:

  1. cut the valance vertically at a place that will yield enough coverage for your desired homemaker.
  2. optional:  hem the cut side of the valance.
  3. cut ribbon to the desired length.  long enough to tie around the waist of the intended homemaker.
  4. attached safety pin to the end of the ribbon.
  5. thread the ribbon, safety pin first, into the top portion of the valance that was indented for a curtain rod.
  6. remove the safety pin and prepare the Curtain Apron for presentation.

~~~

lf threading ribbon

creating aprons

lf sparkles apron

preparing creations for presentation/wrapping

lf wrapping apron

finalizing packages

Less than 15min

by Filed Under: EPLifeFit, Work-outs 3 Comments

I completed my first official workout of the new year.  I’m taking it slow and using the easy days to concentrate on form.  I’m a stickler on form.  Dad worked out with me.  I trained Rose later in the day and the Littles will do their work-out at their daily park visit.  (I hope to be back with some pictures.)

  • warm-up
  • 10 squats
  • 10 push-ups
  • 10 sit-ups
  • stretches

The Feast of the Holy Family

by Filed Under: 01 January, 01 January Saints, Holy Family 1 Comment

clip_image002

 The special devotion which proposes the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the model of virtue of all Christian households began in the XVIIth century. It started almost simultaneously in Canada and France. — The Association of the Holy Family being founded in Montreal in 1663, and the Daughters of the Holy Family in Paris in 1674. Numerous other congregations and associations under the Patronage of the Holy Family have been established, since that time, and they are spread over the world. The Archconfraternity was established by Pius IX in 1847. In 1893 Leo XIII approved a feast for Canada, and Pope Benedict XV extended the Feast of the Holy Family to the whole Church and ordered its celebration to be kept on the Sunday after the Epiphany.

holyfamilyFIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
The Feast of the Holy Family

O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy wondrous holiness didst adorn a human home, and by thy subjection to Mary and Joseph didst consecrate the order of earthly families ; grant that we being enlightened by the example of their life with thee in thy Holy Family, and assisted by their prayers ; may at last be joined with them in thine eternal fellowship.  Who livest and reignest with the Father. Amen.

~~~

Mother Teresa’s Prayer for Families

Heavenly Father, you have given us the model of life in the Holy Family of Nazareth.  Help us, O Loving Father,to make our family another Nazareth where love, peace and joy reign.

May it be deeply contemplative, intensely EucharisNativity-Bicci-di-Lorenzo-detail1-300x225tic, revived with joy.  Help us to stay together in joy and sorrow in family prayer.

Teach us to see Jesus in the members of our families, especially in their distressing disguise. 

May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus make our hearts humble like his and help us to carry out our family duties in a holy way.

May we love one another as God loves each one of us, more and more each day, and forgive each other’s faults as you forgive our sins.

Help us, O Loving Father, to take whatever you give and give whatever you take with a big smile.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us. 
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, be always with us, guide and protect us.
Amen.

~~~

Lesson V

To all fathers of families, Joseph is verily the best model of paternal vigilance and care.  In the most holy Virgin Mother of God, mothers may find an excellent example of love, modesty, resignation of spirit, and the perfecting of faith.  And in Jesus, who was subject to his parents, the children of the family have a divine pattern of obedience which they can admire, reverence, and imitate.  Those who are of noble birth may learn, from this Family of royal blood, how to live simply in times of prosperity, and how to retain their dignity in times of distress.  The rich may learn that moral worth is to be more highly esteemed than wealth.  Artisans, and all such as are bitterly grieved by the narrow and slender means of their families, if they would but consider the sublime holiness of the members of this domestic fellowship, cannot fail to find some cause for rejoicing in their lot, rather than for being merely dissatisfied with it.  In common with the Holy Family, they have to work, and to provide for the daily wants of life.  Joseph had to engage in trade, in order to live ; even the divine hands laboured at an artisan’s calling.  It is not to be wondered at, that the wealthiest men, if truly wise, have been willing to cast away their riches, and to embrace a life of poverty with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

~~~

Holy-family

Resources:

 

~~~

Prayer to the Holy Family

This prayer is taken from Prayer Book for Religious, compiled by Fr. F. X. Lasance, S.J. (Benziger Brothers, 1904)

O most loving Jesus, Who by Thy sublime and beautiful virtues of humility, obedience, poverty, modesty, charity, patience and gentleness, and by the example of Thy domestic life, didst bless with peace and happiness the family Thou didst choose on earth, in Thy clemency look down upon this household, humbly prostrate before Thee and imploring Thy mercy. Remember that this family belongs to Thee; for to Thee we have in a special way dedicated and devoted ourselves. Look upon us in Thy loving kindness; preserve us from danger; give us help in time of need, and grant us the grace to persevere to the end in the imitation of Thy Holy Family; that having revered Thee and loved Thee faithfully on earth, we may bless and praise Thee eternally in heaven.

O Mary, most sweet Mother, to thy intercession we have recourse, knowing that thy Divine Son will hear thy prayers.

And do thou, O glorious Patriarch, St. Joseph, assist us by thy powerful mediation, and offer, by the hands of Mary, our prayers to Jesus. Amen.

~~~

Sancta Familia ~ ora pro nobis

Feast of the Epiphany

by Filed Under: 01 January, 01 January Saints, Epiphany Of Our Lord 3 Comments

We attended Mass as a family for the Feast of the Epiphany.  We picked up our blessed Epiphany water and chalk that was blessed on the Vigil of the Epiphany.

epiphany holy water and blessed chalk

Dad marked our home upon our return.dad blessing

~~~

Epiphany Chalk Blessing

The lintel of the main door of the house is marked with blessed chalk by the father of the household in the following manner:

20+C+M+B+12 while saying the following prayer:

The Three Wise Men

C  Caspar

M  Melchior

B  & Balthasaar, followed the star of God’s Son who became Man

20 Two-thousand

12 and twelve years ago

+ May Christ

+ Bless our home

+ and remain with us

+ through the new year.

Almighty God, incline Thine ear.  Bless us and all who are gathered here.  Send Thy holy angel who will defend us, and fill with grace all who dwell here.  Amen

~~~

epiphany blessing

We opted for a humble feast day celebration that represented the humility in which Christ was born.  Eating meat on a Friday was a simple treat that we enjoyed. 

We pray to continue to bring our gifts to Jesus, throughout the new year.

Happy feast of the Epiphany.

~~~

First Friday Link Up

The Psalms–Day 12

by Filed Under: Bible, Psalms, Scripture

Day 12 Psalms 144 — 150

previous readings

Psalms 144

1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

2 my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues the peoples under him.

3 O LORD, what is man that thou dost regard him, or the son of man that thou dost think of him?

4 Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow.

5 Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains that they smoke!

6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them, send out thy arrows and rout them!

Father, may I let You fight my battles.

Psalms 145

A Song of Praise. Of David.

1 I will extol thee, my God and King, and bless thy name for ever and ever.

2 Every day I will bless thee, and praise thy name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

5 On the glorious splendor of thy majesty, and on thy wondrous works, I will meditate.

6 Men shall proclaim the might of thy terrible acts, and I will declare thy greatness.

7 They shall pour forth the fame of thy abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.

10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee!

11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power,

12 to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of thy kingdom.

13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.

14 The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to thee, and thou givest them their food in due season.

16 Thou openest thy hand, thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.

18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.

19 He fulfils the desire of all who fear him, he also hears their cry, and saves them.

20 The LORD preserves all who love him; but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. ————————————————————————

Father, give me a heart to praise You under any circumstances.

Psalms 146

1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have being.

3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 When his breath departs he returns to his earth; on that very day his plans perish.

5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever;

7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;

8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The LORD will reign for ever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD! ————————————————————————

Father, may I not trust in any way anything or anyone but You.

Psalms 147

1 Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is seemly.

2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars, he gives to all of them their names.

5 Great is our LORD, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

6 The LORD lifts up the downtrodden, he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God upon the lyre!

8 He covers the heavens with clouds, he prepares rain for the earth, he makes grass grow upon the hills.

9 He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens which cry.

10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man;

11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your sons within you.

14 He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sends forth his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

16 He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.

17 He casts forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold?

18 He sends forth his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.

19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel.

20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the LORD! ————————————————————————

 

Psalms 148

1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights!

2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!

3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!

4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.

6 And he established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds which cannot be passed.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,

8 fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!

9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!

10 Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!

12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.

14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD! ————————————————————————

Father, may I praise You with greater enthusiasm than ever before.

Psalms 149

1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful!

2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker, let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King!

3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre!

4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.

5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,

7 to wreak vengeance on the nations and chastisement on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,

9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is glory for all his faithful ones. Praise the LORD! ————————————————————————

Jesus, glorify me as I place Your enemies beneath Your feet (Heb 10:13).

Psalms 150

1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!

2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his exceeding greatness!

3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

4 Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

5 Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that breathes praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! ————————————————————————

Epiphany of the Lord

by Filed Under: 01 January, 01 January Saints, Epiphany Of Our Lord Leave a Comment

Omnes de Saba venient
aurum et thus deferentes
et laudem Domino annuntiantes.
Alleluja.

epiphany 3

THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD

DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / WHITE

The word "Epiphany" means "manifestation." The Church in the Mass commemorates a triple manifestation of Christ: to the Magi, that is, to the Gentiles; in His Baptism, when the Voice from heaven declared: "This is My beloved Son"; and in the miracle of changing water into wine at Cana.

The mystery of the Christ-birth is a rich and glorious beginning, splendid with promise. Today we worship a partial fulfillment when Jesus, as an Infant King, is manifested to wise men of the Gentile world and through them to all peoples. His royalty is neither frightening nor pompous, for the kingly majesty of the sovereign Redeemer is robed in babyhood. Coming in the simplicity of true greatness, Jesus makes Himself acceptable and at home to the little and the great of every nation under heaven.

~~~

How can we bring similar offerings to Christ?

We offer gold to Him, when we love Him with our whole heart, and out of love to Him, present Him our will by perfect obedience and continual self-denial, as our will is our most precious treasure. We also offer Him gold when we assist the poor by alms given in His name. We offer Him frankincense when we devoutly and ardently pray to Him, especially when we meditate upon His omnipotence, love, goodness, justice and mercy. We offer Him myrrh when we avoid carnal desires, mortify our evil inclinations and passions, and strive for purity of body and soul.

~ The Church’s Year by Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine’s

~~~

epiphany

Litany

(from Christmas to Epiphany)

….O Blessed parents of the Infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph,we humbly and earnestly implore you to beg for us, at the crib of your Infant Son, that like Him and as His true and faithful followers, we may love to live in true humility, disengagement from creatures, contempt of the world and it’s vanities, constant recollection of the holy presence of God, fervour and fidelity in all of our duties, and in the practice of the tenderest charity to all persons.  May we never blush at the humility of the crib, nor at the poverty  and simplicity of Bethlehem.  May we ever rejoice at our happy lot as children of the true Church; ever in tender charity look with a compassionate eye on those who live but for this world; and continually pray that all may come to bless, to praise and to love the Saviour, who comes to redeem them…Amen

~Excerpt from the Litany from Christmas to Epiphany, taken from the MC & LMC Prayer Book.

~~~

Resources:

 

All they from Saba will come,
bringing gold and frankincense,
and announcing the praise of the Lord.
Alleluia.

~Gradual for The Feast of the Epiphany. The text is from Isaiah 60:6

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

by Filed Under: {phfr}, Picture Recap

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

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

~~~

{pretty}

my girls, beautiful inside and out.

DSCF7015 lissa pillar fresh color colorized

DSCF7039 ella pillar fresh color colorizedDSCF7043 lexi on pillar fresh color colorized

my boys, full of life.

DSCF7080 gio gian fresh color act 12

 

{happy}

house 2012

we rallied together to clean the house for dad’s impromptu tamale making party on new year’s eve.  it was nice well it lasted.

{funny}

dad's facial

dad always makes me laugh.  here he is showing me what a mexican facial looks like.

{real}

g unwrapping

dragonfly is all business when it comes to unwrapping gifts.  he’s not concern with what is in the package just his unwrapping technique.  he’s managed to find stored gifts.  we even had to deliver papa’s birthday present semi-wrapped.

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