Recently in sacraments Category

I was late in watching this week's episode of The Gist but I was able to watch it today before tomorrow's new show airs (Wednesday at 7:30 AM Pacific.) The 1/18/12 show was about meal planning and confession. Sort of a strange pairing but I enjoyed it none the less. ;-)

If you missed the show you can see it here. Below are a few comments I had.

Meal Planning

It was fun hearing the ladies talk about their meal planning/feeding the family adventures. Sometimes we think that these amazing Catholic moms must have it sooooooo together yet they are facing the same challenges we do. (The occasional chocolate chip cereal and Chinese take out? Love it.)

For my meal planning it has still been working really well using my menu board. I usually plan my meals on Sunday allowing for at least one leftovers day and one eat out day. With a magnetic meal board I can easily switch meals around to another day when something unexpected pops up.

I also have a recipe folder/binder that was a complete shambles (shocker, I know!) but I have been working on organizing it I have my tried and true recipes handy and new recipes I want to try ready to go. If I have time later this week I'll post my before and after pics.

As for getting picky kids to eat better, I don't have any quick solutions. Since Bella was a baby she was an excellent eater and loved all sorts of fruits and veggies (Even brussel sprouts! I don't even like those.) However, the boys have been much pickier. Andrew loves roasted chicken but won't eat pasta or hotdogs. (What kid does not like spaghetti or hotdogs??) His only fruit is apples (and orange juice) and his only veggie is carrots. I've got to sneak veggie in meatballs and baked bread. I recently bought him that V8 veggie/fruit juice to help him get more of his veggies. I am getting desperate! As for JP, he could live on a continental breakfast all day long - fruit, cheese, bread, yogurt and eggs. I guess technically that's all the main food groups. Do you have any tips that work for your picky eaters?

I was thinking about trying this book - Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld. Any of you use this book?

Confession

The second half of the show was about Confession. I was happy to see Lino Rulli on the show. I've heard him a few times on his Catholic Guy radio show and I think he is hilarious on Twitter so it was fun to see him on The Gist.

I've finally reached a point where Confession is not scary anymore. I try to go at the very least, once a month and I can always tell when I am about due. In fact, yesterday I was having a horrible day. The kind of day where I am so angry and frustrated that I literally have to walk out of the room and take a deep breath before I lose it or break down in a ball and sob. Part of it was due from my lack of sleep with the kids being sick and Matthew up at night teething but I could also hear that voice in my head telling me that I need the grace of confession to recharge my batteries. I looked at the calendar and yep, it has been one month. So come Saturday morning, you'll know where to find me - in line for confession.

Have a good night!

B.

(Although this isn't posted until now, I wrote it this morn. ;-)

It's 5:30 in the morning and I can't sleep. I haven't been able to sleep since 4am. Matthew woke me up and he needed to be changed and fed. Since his bed is right next to mine I can usually do this quickly and fall right back to sleep, but not this morning.

Since it's nice and cozy in my bed snuggled between my baby and my hubby I pulled out my iPhone (yes, I sleep with it) and opened up my google reader to find a ridiculous amount of posts waiting to be read. I must admit that although it is insanely early, it is so nice to be able to just relax and catch up on the news and activities of my fellow Catholic moms. I always find inspiration, humor and a little pep talk when I need it most.

God has a way of giving you exactly what you need when you need it.

As I was reading certain posts it brought to mind my experience at Confession on Saturday. It had been a rough couple of weeks and I could feel my insides all tied up in knots and stressed. I knew I had to make the most of this last week of Advent and Confession was the first step. After telling my sins to the priests he spoke to me about a few things but what struck me was his reminder that God's gifts to me this Christmas are my husband and my children, despite any personal difficulties I may have in being a good wife and mother. It's not as if I don't already know that but it was as if my life flashed before my eyes and I saw a quick glimpse of how blessed I am and how much I take for granted. It moved me to tears. These tears were just what I needed since, coupled with God's grace, they washed away all the muck in my soul and refreshed my spirit. It was just what I needed.

Of course, those moments after confession are like the moments after a retreat. You are gung ho "on the mountaintop" with Jesus but once you return to the real world, life can dampen your resolve. However, God gave me a quick reminder of Saturday's lesson at four in the morning when I read It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost by Kate Wicker. She spoke about whether or not we should bring our rambunctious younger children to Mass. I'm not entering that debate right now but what stood out most for me was this paragraph:

Yet, I kept thinking about a recent post over at Rosetta Stone. (I know I should have been paying more attention to Mass, but it was enough for me to be thinking about anything besides strangling my toddler.) Michelle wrote that, "Nothing compares to a three-year-old boy. Nothing." I'm not going to start comparing who is harder - girls or boys. I loved what someone wrote after an older post of mine that wherever you're at and whatever you've been given is probably the hardest for you. If God is trying to prune us and sanctify us through the vocation of parenthood, then it makes sense that He gives us just the kind of children we need - the kind that will push our buttons and throw us down to our knees and force us to realize that we cannot, absolutely cannot, do this on our own. We need Him. We need to keep a constant dialogue open with God throughout our days. Even when we find ourselves questioning everything about God - whether we'll ever have a personal relationship with Him, whether He even really exists or cares deeply, profoundly about us and our children - we have to keep talking. We don't have to pray like others pray. We have to pray as we pray. Sometimes we have to simply show up - and stay put once we've arrived even if every part of us is screaming to just go, escape, get the heck out of there before you or your child really loses it [at Mass].

"If God is trying to prune us and sanctify us through the vocation of parenthood, then it makes sense that He gives us just the kind of children we need..." I love that. It is so true. Our vocation is tailor made with small crosses (or big) that will sanctify us and lead us along our path to heaven. And we are never, never alone on our journey. We just have to always keep our eyes and hearts set on the Lord. Thank God that He is so patient with us and never stops reminding us and sending us what we need when we need it.

I've been thinking a lot about confession lately, particularly after just receiving the sacrament on Saturday. I try to go every two weeks at best and once a month at worst. I remember a time years ago when I was living with serious sin and not frequenting confession. Thankfully, the grace of God got me back on track and I am no longer a stranger to the Sacrament.

However, I now find myself in another kind of confessional quandary. I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking, "Well, I'm not doing so bad...at least I am no longer (fill in the blank with a serious sin.)" This attitude always creeps up on me when my night prayers/examination have been on the weak side. Knowing I had to correct this, I made an extra effort with my exam and went to Confession to a new priest from a local parish. Normally after I state my sins, I receive a few words of direction and then my absolution of a Hail Mary or two. However, this priest wasn't going to give me a quickie-confession. He spoke to me in a gentle but straightforward way that actually brought me to tears.

It was if the grace of God was poured down upon me and I got a glimpse of how much Christ loves me and how my lack of love hurts his Sacred Heart. In that moment, I felt like a selfish wife who takes her husband for granted but figures that as long as she is not cheating on him, it's okay. However, "not cheating" on your husband is much different from truly "loving" your husband.

After I left the confessional, I walked over to the sanctuary, with Bella and Andrew in tow, to pray before Our Lord and say my penance but I didn't even have enough time and had to do my penance later in the evening. Instead of the usual two Hail Mary's I had to say a whole rosary. It was as if God was bringing the point home and saying to me loud and clear, "I love you but don't mistakenly think that those "little" sins don't matter, especially since you know better. Where much has been given, much is expected." Ouch. Point taken.

Our Lord wants all of me and I haven't been doing that lately. I know it is a constant work in progress but I am grateful for these times when I'm given a reality check and reminded that Christ must stay at the center of my heart in order for me to selflessly love Him and sacrificially love those around me. Thank you, Lord, for your patient and merciful heart! (And to that unknown priest, thank you for giving me just what I needed! May God bless you and strengthen you!)

"Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Eph 5:1-2)