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Each week, Catholic personalities Danielle Bean, Rachel Balducci and Carolee McGrath host The Gist. They discuss topics such as abortion, raising teens in the faith and confession. Along with guests such as Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Lino Rulli and others, they will give Catholic women the gist on everything from faith and the Church to exercising, make-up and how to stay sane. Tune in every Wednesday morning for a new show at 10:30 with rebroadcasts Thursday at 8:30 p.m., Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 6:30 a.m., Monday at 8 a.m. and Tuesday at 10 p.m. (all times Eastern).

I missed the first show since it is on at 7:30 AM in Cali and I'm usually in the middle of getting kids off to school. However, it is rebroadcast during the week and available to view online. If you missed it, I've added it here. Below I've also added my own comments about the show.

It was wonderful to watch these great Catholic women and moms. I feel like I already "know" them from reading their blogs and columns. There was a lot to be learned and here are a few things that struck a cord with me.

Topic - Working moms.

My take - Danielle said it best, "All moms are working moms." Being a SAHM, I say, "Amen, sister!"

Topic - Comparing ourselves to others.

I loved Rachel's comment, "The only people you can truly analyze is yourself and your situation..."

My take - It is so easy to look at other moms and see how much they are doing and think, how do they do it? It will sometimes make me feel guilty that I am not doing enough. But I have to remember that we are each in different situations and have our own unique vocation as a wife and mother. As long as we are open to God, He will direct us to exactly where we need to be. He'll often challenge us but He won't overwhelm us. If we are overwhelmed we may need to ask, "Am I doing more than I should be and spreading myself too thin?" If not, then ask, "Am I relying on God for my strength or on myself?" (Sigh. Been there. Done that.)

Topic - How do you do it all?

When Danielle asked guest speaker Lisa Hendey, "How do you do it all?" Lisa replied, "If I think about everything that I do in a day, it's too overwhelming. So I start my day with prayer...and that's a key component throughout the day. Praying just for the grace and the energy and the strength to do it all and really, I just do my best with whatever pot that is burning right in front of me...managing the priorities, looking at how I can be of help to other people and most importantly serving my parish and my family."

My take - Prayer, Priorities, Serving family first but not forgetting others. Enough said!

Topic - Lisa talked about saints being role models, intercessors and heroes of our family.

My take - Often when I hear about the saints I wonder how I can relate to them because, well, they are saints. But really, they weren't born with halos on their head. They had the same kind of human struggles we do. They had to fight their personal demons and rely on God to give them the strength to live holy lives. I can certainly learn from that! (Side note; I am in the middle of reading Lisa's book The Handbook for Catholic Moms: Nurturing Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul and I am eager to also check out her new book A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body, and Soul.)

Topic - Prayer

In the next topic they ladies spoke about the importance of prayer in our daily lives and I love what Rachel said, "Right off the bat, establishing that our prayer life is the most important thing and I think as moms we can so easily justify and rationale away taking time to pray because laundry needs to be done, and lunches need to be made and children need to be cared for, but really, personal holiness and a relationship with God is the most important gift we can give our families."

My take - I am guilty of this all too often! There is always something that needs to be done and although there are times when I can pray as I work, there also needs to be time when I quiet myself and simply focus on God. Some days it may only be for a few minutes but I must be willing to make the effort and establish the priority. Certainly if I have to time to post on my blog, pin an idea on Pinterest or watch a favorite tv show, then I certainly have time to shut it all down and give God a little silence.

Topic - The rosary and adoration.

My take - I love Carolee's comparison of the rosary and exercise. Both are things we tend to want to put off yet both are important to our health (physical and spiritual) and we'll feel better after we are done! And Danielle's thought on Adoration reminded me that just as I ask Brian to watch the kids so I can run to the market alone, I can ask Brian to watch the kids so I can stop at the chapel and speak to God in his presence alone. (And I know he is more than wiling to do it!)

Topic - Family prayer.

My take - This should be a show topic itself! I already commented on this briefly in another post but a number of families I know pray the rosary every night with their kids. I commend them! For us, it has not worked out very well, but rather than forget the whole thing, we've adjusted it to our family needs. Instead, we try to say the rosary but with only one decade. Some nights we're lucky just to gather us all together for a quick night prayer but we do what we can. Each family is different and their needs change as the family grows. The main thing is to be doing something.

Last Thoughts

With that said, I really recommend that you watch the show yourself. At first I was a little reluctant to devote time to it since the topic was on working moms but that was just a small portion of it. There were many topics discussed. On the one hand, it seemed like too many topics. Maybe there could have been less topics and more time spent on one or two subjects. (It seems like the saints, personal prayer or family prayer could have been their own shows.) On the other hand, the flow of conversation carried into many different topics and they commented accordingly. Either way, I really enjoyed the show and actually watched it twice. The second time around is when God impressed certain things on my heart and for that I am thankful.

So thanks, Gist Girls. I look forward to watching you again next week!

I first heard about Roma Downey's (did you know she was Catholic?) new DVD Little Angels at CatholicMom.com. The site has background info and is also running a contest to win an autographed copy of the DVD. (I entered!)

Here is the introduction from LittleAngels.com.

Discover the joy of learning and friendship with a heavenly new collection! From Executive Producer Roma Downey ("Touched by an Angel") and Writer Phil Lollar ("Adventures in Odyssey") comes the much-anticipated faith-based educational series, LITTLE ANGELS, soaring onto DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

LITTLE ANGELS is an animated DVD series created exclusively for preschool-aged children to teach not only practical learning skills, like ABCs and 1,2,3s, but also to introduce them to the spiritual, moral and ethical principles of the Bible. Of course, we think it's terrific! (We might be biased...) But don't just take our word for it - for the first time in their organization's history, MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) has awarded a Seal-of-Approval to LITTLE ANGELS.

And here is a sneak peek. :-) It looks cute and educational!

A couple months ago I posted about Abigal, the little girl in Mexico that we sponsored through Christian Foundation for Children & Aging (CFCA). Yesterday we received our first letter from her and I was so touched.

Abigal tells us about her life and her family but it is the closing paragraph that brought tears to my eyes. The translation reads:

"I promise I will make a big effort in the school so that you become proud of me. I will pray every day for you from now on so that God takes care of you and pours blessings upon you wherever you are. I have to close for now. I love you.

Your sponsored friend,
Abigal"

This little girl living in poverty is praying for me, that I will be blessed. It's amazing. I am trying to help out by giving to someone else and instead I am the one who receives the blessings. God is so good.

This sponsorship has also been a great family project! We pray for Abigal and her family every night during our rosary. Bella especially has a soft spot for Abigal since she doesn't have a sister of her own. She writes to her and draws her pictures.

I am hoping to save enough money to sponsor a second child in the future - a little boy that our boys can write to.

There are many, many more kids looking for sponsors, as well as teens and elderly. Advent will be here before you know it. As you prepare to welcome the Christ Child in your heart, prayerfully consider welcoming one of these children into your heart as well.

"Truly, I saw to you, as you do it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."

Here are just a few kids waiting for someone to help them!

Evelyn from Guatemala (Age: 4) Evelyn is very dynamic at school. She lives with her mother and father and her little brother. Evelyn's mother is a housewife. Her father sells firewood by the meter, but his income is seasonal. Evelyn's family is very interested in moving forward. Talents and pastimes: Drawing and listening to music; Jobs at home: Sweeping in the yard of the home; Favorite school subjects: Natural science; Birthday: January 9, 2007 (CH673993)

Niyati from India (Age: 5) Niyati is well-behaved. She lives with her parents and her younger brother and sister. Niyati has humble parents who struggle to provide an education to their children. Her father is a laborer. He works hard, but earns a low income. Niyati's mother is a housewife. She tries to encourage her children to get an education to improve their lives. Talents and pastimes: Sketching; Jobs at home: Studying; Favorite school subjects: English; Birthday: March 13, 2006 (CH681981)

Eliana from Bolivia (Age: 12) Eliana is a quiet child who likes to help others. She lives with her parents and has three siblings. The family moved to their current location with the hope of better opportunities. Eliana's mother stays home to look after the household. Her father earns a meager income by cutting sugarcane and performing a variety of odd jobs. A Hope for a Family sponsorship can make this family's dreams for a more promising future attainable. Talents and pastimes: Dancing, singing, playing; Jobs at home: Making the bed, washing the dishes; Favorite school subjects: Mathematics; Birthday: April 17, 1999 (CH643300)

Mikel from Costa Rica (Age: 2) Mikel is a joyful and playful boy. He likes to eat a lot. He lives with his mother and grandmother. Mikel's mother stays home to look after him. She is struggling to get ahead with her son. The family lives off the grandmother's pension. Although it is a steady source of income, it is not enough to cover the family's basic needs. Talents and pastimes: Crawling; Birthday: August 20, 2009 (CH652202)

Santiago from Mexico (Age: 3) Santiago is very energetic and he likes doing new things. He lives with his mother and father. As a couple, Santiago's parents trust each other and get along well. They spend time with their child. Santiago's mother is a housewife. His father does upholstery work, but his job is not fixed. Talents and pastimes:
Making puzzles; Jobs at home: Sweeping and cleaning; Birthday: May 6, 2008 (CH672537)

Ronald from Kenya (Age: 6) Ronald loves drawing and playing with his age mates. He lives in a single, rented room with his mother and father and three siblings. Both parents are tailors and they try their best to meet the family needs, especially school fees. Their income is not always enough. Talents and pastimes: Playing football and with toys; Jobs at home: Running errands; Favorite school subjects: Mathematics and English; Birthday:
January 13, 2005 (CH676845)

Remart from the Philippines (Age: 10) Remart is shy yet playful. His ambition is to become an electrician. Remart lives with his parents and his three siblings. His family lives together in a small, rented house. Remart's mother does laundry for others. His father is a plumber. Remart's father works hard to provide a better life for his children. Talents and pastimes: Singing; Jobs at home: Babysitting his younger brother; Favorite school subjects: Mathematics; Birthday: May 27, 2001 (CH673199)

To specifically sponsor one of these children, go to this CFCA link and in the "Help me Find" section to the right, put in the child's country and name. Their profile should pop up. You can also call CFCA at 800.875.6564.

God will bless you for your generosity and sacrifice.

I posted a few weeks back about CFCA (Christian Foundation for Children and Aging) our sponsored child Abi. Yesterday I received an email from Paula K. who recently visited Guatemala. She is trying to find a CFCA sponsor for a little girl named Carla who lives in Guatemala. Please read her story and see if God is asking you to open your heart to bettering her life and the life of her family.

UPDATE: Here is a comment from Paula:

Bobbi, I can't thank you enough for sharing this on your blog. In sharing Carla's story, I have found it challenging to convey that feeling I got in Guatemala among the sponsored children and families, and getting a very true sense of how an expenditure that to a U.S. family can be relatively small (a trip for 5 to Mcdonald's, say), can truly transform the most basic elements of a whole family's life. If any of your readers have questions, please feel free to contact me directly! Although my sign in has my daughter's email address, the best is opuswsk@aol.com. Thanks everyone!!!

Catholic Mom.com had a great post today from Aquinas & More Catholic Goods. It's worth reposting here:

Can You Help Catholics in the Military?

We opened our store in the aftermath of 9/11. We opened our store in Colorado Springs, a city with four military bases and the Air Force Academy.

When we opened our store we heard from one of the local chaplains who was being deployed to an "undisclosed location" that it was almost impossible to get requisitions for Catholic devotionals for the troops he was serving.

Because of that, we decided to start Catholic Chaplain registries and to upgrade all orders to military addresses to Priority Mail at no extra charge.

A plaque we were sent from thankful troops in Afghanistan.Since we launched our registry program, we have shipped over 6000 Bibles, medals and prayer books to chaplains serving in some of the most dangerous places on Earth including Baghdad and Afghanistan.

Unfortunately, the generosity that people had when the wars first started has waned along with support for the wars themselves. This means that our Catholic soldiers who are still fighting and dying, whatever you may think of the cause, are frequently short on things that can strengthen their Faith.

As an example of how difficult it is to get supplies through the military, we had a chaplain order sacramental wine from our store to be shipped overseas because he was worried that he would be reassigned before the wine arrived at his current station if he went through military requisitions!

Over the past two weeks I have received three requests for more items for our soldiers.

First, we heard from Chaplain Sheehan:

"I am the only Catholic Navy Chaplain at Parris Island SC (US Marine Corps Boot Camp). I serve the recruits in a number of ways to include teaching Religious Education, preparing recruits to receive Sacraments of Initiation, and praying The Mass on Sundays.

I am a Battalion Chaplain and have daily encounters with the recruits in training, teaching, and counseling.

There is a consistent requests for Catholic Bibles and crosses (crucifix'). I get many request for protestant Bibles and Rosaries but have generous suppliers for these items.

Catholic Bibles, Crucifix's, and Crosses are harder to get donated.

Thank you for your generosity and possible assistance in securing these items for US Marine recruits. Thank you to your generous customers who support this ministry."

Second, we have Chaplain Victor. Chaplain Victor was one of the first chaplains we assisted and we have sent Catholic devotionals to his troops in Afghanistan and Japan:

"I am Fr. Victor and while I was deployed in Afghanistan in January 2005 - January 2006, you have supported me with books, especially the Fulton Sheen's Wartime Prayerbook. I want to know if you can donate more as there is a great demand for this book."

Third, we have Catholics in the Military. This organization just changed its name to Mission Capodanno. They promote vocations to the Chaplain Corp, send Catholic items to troops in need and provide spiritual assistance to military families. We have been supplying material to them for years and they are currently in short supply.

There are several other chaplains who have requested our assistance through the years and your generosity has made those requests bear fruit.

Can you still find it in your heart to give? These soldiers don't get paid much and are frequently in some of the worst places on Earth supported by an understaffed and undersupplied Chaplain Corp.

You can view all of the items that chaplains have requested at: http://www.aquinasandmore.com/militarychaplain

How can you deny a soldier looking for Catholic materials?? We've got to help! I am supposed to work on the monthly finances tonight and after I do I will see how much tithing money I have for this month. Then I'll choose one of chaplains listed on their site and purchase some of the materials they need. There are items for any budget - from holy cards less than $1 to $5 books to $7 bible and much more. Perhaps you and your family could creatively raise a few extra dollars to purchase something for the chaplains. I know money is tight but even one bible or rosary or prayer book in the hands of a soldier could make a tremendous difference as they face danger day in and day out. Spread the word and pray for our troops!

A couple weeks ago I read a post by Tina at My Priceless Fishers Blog about their family sponsoring a child in the Philippines through Christian Foundation for Children & Aging. I was touched by her story and looked into it for our family.

The CFCA was founded in 1981 by lay Catholics acting on the Gospel call to serve the poor. They state:

Our faith teaches us that we are one human family, and that we have a responsibility to the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters, wherever they live or whatever faith they may be.

For almost 30 years, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) has brought hope to families living in poverty in the 22 countries (within Mexico and the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Africa and Asia) where we work. Founded in 1981 by lay Catholics acting on the Gospel call to serve the poor, we have grown into a movement of more than 250,000 sponsors who are supporting more than 300,000 children, youth and aging friends worldwide.

I was impressed by the work that CFCA does and the percentage of funds that goes to the program vs the administration. I also liked the fact that we'd be able to write to our sponsored child and keep in touch with them through the program. (However, your personal info is kept confidential.) I talked to Brian and made sure the cost fit into our tithing budget and all looked good.

Since we have so many boys in the house I thought it would be nice to sponsor a girl that Bella could write to as well. We chose the country of Mexico and I picked a couple of cute little girls in need of help. I let Bella look over the profiles and pick the one we should sponsor. Of all the smiling faces and cute grins Bella chose a girl close to her age that didn't look very happy. Her name is Abigal, or as her friends like to call her, Abi.

We took Abi's photo and placed it on our home altar as a reminder to pray for her each day. We're hoping that our prayers, our letters and our monthly sponsorship for her education and personal needs will help to brighten her day and give her a better future. We'll keep you posted about our journey with Abi. :-)

For information about how you and your family can sponsor a child in need, visit The Christian Foundation for Children & Aging

I've long been a supporter and reader of Carmen Marcoux's Catholic novels Arms of Love and Surrender. Now she and her husband have written a book for the younger set and we've started selling them at RoL. See below for more details.

Carmen Marcouz, Catholic wife, mother of nine and author of Arms of Love and Surrender, has undertaken a new writing venture with her husband James. Together they have authored the first of a series of books aimed at the younger reader. Book One of the New Illustrated Catholic Children's Series in titled The Parish Picnic, a heartwarming story about friendship, self-sacrifice and the love of Christ. Beautifully illustrated by their daughter Rebekah, The Parish Picnic is a celebration of our Catholic heritage and the life we share as the family of God.

RoL is having an introductory spring sale of The Parish Picnic. Normally $16.95, you can purchase the book for $13.95. (Shipping is $3 for one book. Free shipping for 2 or more books. Shipping can be combined with Carmen's other titles.) For more details, a book preview or to order click here: http://revolutionoflove.com/marketplace/picnic.html. Check it out!

UPDATE: Spring 2012 - We are once again having our Spring/Lent/Easter sale. The sale price of $13.95 is available through Spring of 2012.

There is a great post on the Laodicea blog about the Little Sisters Disciples of the Lamb. What a beautiful witness of God's love for all his precious creatures.

The Little Sisters Disciples of the Lamb are a contemplative community that enables girls with Down's syndrome to respond to a religious vocation. (continue reading...)

Congrats to my sis-in-law Maria Rangel for the beautiful Madonna and Child she finished painting! This painting is now available as a high quality printed card. They make great Christmas cards and since they are blank inside they can be used year round. They also make a great gift. Wrap a bundle of cards in a pretty ribbon and add a nice pen to the bow and you have a great unique gift for a hostess, teacher, or Catholic friend.

The "Madonna and Child" cards are blank on the inside and approx 5"x7" folded with envelopes. The cost is $2.50 each or bulk rate of $1.50 each for 10 or more. Shipping is $3 for orders below 10 cards and $5 for orders of 10 cards or more. Make checks payable to Maria Rangel. Orders can be mailed to 310 S. Jefferson St. #49A, Placentia, CA 92870.

I just placed my Christmas order for Mystic Monk coffee. It's a perfect gift! (Make sure to try their Christmas specialties: Christmas Blend and Jingle Bell Java!)

Mystic Monk Coffee

Mystic Monk Coffee is roasted by the Carmelite Monks, a Roman Catholic monastery in the silence and solitude of the Rocky Mountains of northern Wyoming. The monks live a hidden life of prayer and contemplation in the pursuit of God. The monastery is inundated with young men who seek to leave everything to pray for the world, in a tradition at least a thousand years old. It is the monks' great joy and privilege to share the fruit of their life with you in every cup of Mystic Monk Coffee.

Matt over at Fallible Blogma.com (love the name!) has a great project in the works called Support A Catholic Speaker Month. Bloggers participate by being assigned a speaker then making a post about them. My speaker is Mr. Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League.

Jim Sedlak is a Catholic, Pro-Life, inspirational speaker who has given hundreds of talks on three continents. A leader in the pro-life movement, he currently serves as vice president of American Life League and concentrates his efforts on fighting Planned Parenthood - the nation's largest abortion chain. A former Senior Engineer with the IBM Corporation, Jim has spent over 15 years working full time in the pro-life movement. His expertise comes from being in the streets in front of Planned Parenthood; addressing school boards, city councils, state legislators and members of Congress. He serves as an advisor to many local efforts against Planned Parenthood and belongs to Knights of Columbus Council 4034.

He will bring to your event a mixture of fact and wit, with a captivating speaking style that leaves audiences informed and motivated. His talks can best be summed up by the remark of a woman who heard Jim talk in Belfast, Northern Ireland: "This was the most inspirational talk I have heard in my life ."

Jim's talks include:

Planned Parenthood - the Problem, Not the Solution
Planned Parenthood's Health Care Hoax
The Dangers of Sex Education
Planned Parenthood Steals Souls
Parent Power - How parents can regain control of school systems
Taxpayer Funding of Planned Parenthood and How to Stop It
Planned Parenthood vs. John Paul II - a collision of cultures
Planned Parenthood vs. Pregnancy Care Centers
Matthew 10 - the Secret Weapon Against Planned Parenthood
Pro-Life and Personhood

Click here for Jim's contact info.

I was reading through my twitter feed and saw a post about Duff Goldman (from one of my fave Food Network shows Ace of Cakes) being on a Catholic radio show to talk about his baking, his book and his charity work. Then I found out that the "The Catholics Next Door" radio show is put together by Greg and Jennifer Willits from the Rosary Army. (I interviewed Rosary Army years ago at RoL - back when I was friends with a crazy thing called "spare time.") I am so happy to see what they are doing! If you don't have Sirius Radio, you can download their podcast from itunes or listen here.

Lisa at CatholicMom.com posted about a new magazine for Catholic singles called Tobias. (Where was this ten years ago??) Check it out and get a complimentary issue here.

Mystic Monk coffee is a regular item in our household and tonight on EWTN Live, Prior Fr. Daniel Mary and Br. Simon Mary talk to Fr. Mitch Pacwa about their monastic life and more. (See if you can spot Fr. Mitch Pacwa's Mystic Monk Coffee® mug! - Brian just ordered two. One for home and one for work!)

A friend of mine mentioned that she is reading the e-book Simplifying Your Domestic Church: A Spiritual Journal to Help Declutter, Organize and Systemize the Home. I was interested in it because with another little one coming into the house, I've been trying to declutter and make more room, but there is room for so much more improvement!

I downloaded the ebook this morning and have started reading it. Each chapter has pages of practical tips on different areas. (ie. organizing, managing your time, money budgeting etc.) There is a page of self-examining questions. (ie. Do I have a hard time detaching from this of this world?) Then there is a page of saint quotes/scripture for each day of the week and a blank page for your notes. Some of the tips are geared towards a homeschooling family but I was able to adjust them to our own schooling situation. The book totals 110 pages and you can print it out or just read from your computer.

To learn more about the book, the author and her apostolate Project Nazareth check out this article. You can order the book at Catholic Heritage Curricula.