Did you know that John Paul II established the Vatican Office of Sports? It's really not all that surprising, considering the pontif's deep love for the outdoors and athletics--hiking, skiing, and soccer, for example.
If you are raising a little athlete, you might be interested in this website I came across, recommended in The Handbook of Catholic Moms: Nurturing Your Heart, Mind, Body and Soul by Lisa M. Hendey, founder of CatholicMom.com.
It's called Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC). Click here to visit. You'll find lots of testimonials from world class athletes. You can also investigate their Speakers Bureau. Perhaps you know of an event in need of a public speaker who will inspire the children. Or maybe you are teaching CCD and are in need of a quick video or audio clip that will encourage your students to bring Christ to all parts of their lives. Then this just might be the right place for your search!
More and more, our children need this type of guidance in the sports arena. May God bless the work of CAC!
Before I sign off, here's one more quick note: You might want to read about The Catholic Sports Network, another terrific resource for Catholic moms and dads. Click here to read my article and learn more.
God bless.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Problems Are Really God's Opportunities to Show Love
Have you read my article at CatholicMom.com, called Opportunity Outside Our Kitchen Door? Take a look. You never know when Our Heavenly Father is going to knock.
God bless.
God bless.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
"Dad's not Catholic. So why should I be?"
by Kathleen Blease
I surprised our son one day. He was preparing for his Confirmation, and I felt it was important to have a heart-to-heart talk. I explained that while he will still need instruction in the Faith, that, in fact, it would become his responsibility to open his heart to the catechism and take it seriously. It was no longer just something Mom wanted. Confirmation should be something he wanted. I needed to know: Does he want to say Yes?
His first thought came out right away and I knew it had been looming for a few years: "Hey, Dad's not Catholic--and you love him--so why should I be? Dad hasn't said Yes, so why should I?"
Hmm. This was the question I had been dreading since my children were baptized as little babies. What would I tell them when they pointed out the obvious theological differences between their own parents? Over the years, I decided to let it be until the right time came to address it.
I thought on this a bit and Christ handed me the answer--simple and obvious.
I pointed out : "Ah, but Dad did say Yes!"
"What? No!! Then why hasn't he converted?"
"Oh, yes, conversion. Well, saying Yes to God's will is the first step, and Dad's been saying Yes since before you were born."
"Get out! He did not!"
Yes, indeed, my husband has been saying Yes since we first married sixteen years ago. I, however, was too driven to pray for his conversion that I didn't see his giant steps toward God. It was only when I was preparing my son for his Confirmation did I realize the truth. Raised without a faith in any way, my husband has been on a spiritual journey just as valid and blessed as my own. We were on the same path, just not in tandem.
My sweetheart said Yes to marrying in the Church, which included six weeks of pre-Cana instruction, something he embraced with a good attitude, happy to do the homework and to participate in the various exercises. He said Yes to baptizing our babies. He said Yes to all their preparations to receive the sacraments, and he said Yes to homeschooling them in their Faith each and every day.
He could have said No. As the head of the house, he could have changed his mind after our wedding ceremony and said No to raising our children Catholic. He could have said No to any of the Catholic traditions I was accustomed to through my Catholic upbringing. He could have said No to the Catholic items that are displayed in our home.
But my non-Catholic husband is indeed on a journey. He bought for me a statue of The Queen of Peace, he took me to the Vatican for our tenth anniversary, he cried at my grandmother's funeral when he listened to the priest's homily, and in little ways he became a defender of the Faith to his atheistic friends and family. These things he did quietly and without fervor.
"Yeah, your Dad said Yes. So, it's time for you to make the decision. It's all up to you."
Pause.
Then he said the words every Catholic mom wants to hear.
"Okay, I'm in."
God bless.
I surprised our son one day. He was preparing for his Confirmation, and I felt it was important to have a heart-to-heart talk. I explained that while he will still need instruction in the Faith, that, in fact, it would become his responsibility to open his heart to the catechism and take it seriously. It was no longer just something Mom wanted. Confirmation should be something he wanted. I needed to know: Does he want to say Yes?
His first thought came out right away and I knew it had been looming for a few years: "Hey, Dad's not Catholic--and you love him--so why should I be? Dad hasn't said Yes, so why should I?"
Hmm. This was the question I had been dreading since my children were baptized as little babies. What would I tell them when they pointed out the obvious theological differences between their own parents? Over the years, I decided to let it be until the right time came to address it.
I thought on this a bit and Christ handed me the answer--simple and obvious.
I pointed out : "Ah, but Dad did say Yes!"
"What? No!! Then why hasn't he converted?"
"Oh, yes, conversion. Well, saying Yes to God's will is the first step, and Dad's been saying Yes since before you were born."
"Get out! He did not!"
Yes, indeed, my husband has been saying Yes since we first married sixteen years ago. I, however, was too driven to pray for his conversion that I didn't see his giant steps toward God. It was only when I was preparing my son for his Confirmation did I realize the truth. Raised without a faith in any way, my husband has been on a spiritual journey just as valid and blessed as my own. We were on the same path, just not in tandem.
My sweetheart said Yes to marrying in the Church, which included six weeks of pre-Cana instruction, something he embraced with a good attitude, happy to do the homework and to participate in the various exercises. He said Yes to baptizing our babies. He said Yes to all their preparations to receive the sacraments, and he said Yes to homeschooling them in their Faith each and every day.
He could have said No. As the head of the house, he could have changed his mind after our wedding ceremony and said No to raising our children Catholic. He could have said No to any of the Catholic traditions I was accustomed to through my Catholic upbringing. He could have said No to the Catholic items that are displayed in our home.
But my non-Catholic husband is indeed on a journey. He bought for me a statue of The Queen of Peace, he took me to the Vatican for our tenth anniversary, he cried at my grandmother's funeral when he listened to the priest's homily, and in little ways he became a defender of the Faith to his atheistic friends and family. These things he did quietly and without fervor.
"Yeah, your Dad said Yes. So, it's time for you to make the decision. It's all up to you."
Pause.
Then he said the words every Catholic mom wants to hear.
"Okay, I'm in."
God bless.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Why God Matters: A Book Review
by Kathleen Blease
Why God Matters shows us how a typical life is a doorway to Our Christ and Savior.
I promise you, it won't take much of your time to read Why God Matters, but your reward will be special. As you read Karina's and Deacon's stories, you will nod your head as you recount your own, then realize, "Ah, yes, there was Christ."
I promise you, it won't take much of your time to read Why God Matters, but your reward will be special. As you read, Karina's and Deacon's stories, you will nod your head as you recount your own, then realize, "Ah, yes, there was Christ."
The back of the book includes useful materials, such as: a list of further reading (including websites as well as books), the Anima Christi prayer, the Prayer of St. Fancis, and Deacon Steve's Prayer for Enlightenment.
Why God Matters has received the seal of approval from The Catholic Writers Guild and is available at Kathleen's Catholic Book Shop in the right column of this blog. Click on the little red box, and you can order the book without leaving Kathleen's Catholic.
To visit the book's website, click here.
Happy reading and God bless!
Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life
by Karina Lumbert Fabian and Deacon Steve Lumbert
I promise you, it won't take much of your time to read Why God Matters, but your reward will be special. As you read Karina's and Deacon's stories, you will nod your head as you recount your own, then realize, "Ah, yes, there was Christ."
hardcover $12.76
114 pages, 8 1/2" x 6"
Tribute Books
If you are feeling a little distant from God, if you think your days are filled with too many mundane tasks, or if you wonder if God is watching over you, here is a helping hand.
With a title like Why God Matters, one would expect a tome of theology and doctrine. But fear not. Karina Lumbert Fabian (a revert) and her father, Deacon Steven Lumbert (a convert) are average, every day people who discover the simple beauty of the Catholic Church and the Faith and how they are drawn to live in its midst. There are no miracles depicted here--well, perhaps I should say here are the type of miracles that come upon us gradually, most times without being noticed. This is what I would call "how grace drizzles in." No thunder and blinding lights, just ordinarly people with typical experiences our Lord hands us daily.
Small and written in quick passages, this handbook of faith can go anywhere and read at anytime you have a spare moment. Or, if you'd like, it's just as useful for deep contemplation, with the inclusion of scripture and quotes from saints and famous catechists, as well as various selections from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Perhaps take Why God Matters with you to visit our Lord at the tabernacle or at Adoration.
There is an image I like to keep in mind: When a little bird is thirsty, he dips his beak into water, then lifts his face toward Heaven to let the nourishment seep in. So, we too can do the same--take tiny bits of our Lord's wisdom, then turn our face to Heaven to let His nourishment fill us.
I promise you, it won't take much of your time to read Why God Matters, but your reward will be special. As you read, Karina's and Deacon's stories, you will nod your head as you recount your own, then realize, "Ah, yes, there was Christ."
The back of the book includes useful materials, such as: a list of further reading (including websites as well as books), the Anima Christi prayer, the Prayer of St. Fancis, and Deacon Steve's Prayer for Enlightenment.
Why God Matters has received the seal of approval from The Catholic Writers Guild and is available at Kathleen's Catholic Book Shop in the right column of this blog. Click on the little red box, and you can order the book without leaving Kathleen's Catholic.
To visit the book's website, click here.
Happy reading and God bless!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
We Homeschooled BEFORE We Homeschooled
by Kathleen Blease
One day, the boys and I were watching old family videos. When they were little, I loved grabbing the old VHS camera and taped anything they might have been doing--from munching on graham crackers to finger painting to swimming in the pool. In the video, I could see that our kitchen wall was covered in drawings and paintings, papier mache crafts, and even puppets made out of paper plates.
Every day was an adventure. Story time at ten. A walk at eleven. Classical music during lunch time. Then after nap time, it was an afternoon of arts and crafts. We took trips to the public library every week, without fail, and lugged home a stack of picture story books that kept our imaginations flying. I loved them just as much as the boys did!
When our oldest turned five, it was time to send him to school. It never occurred to us to educate him in any other way. Off he went to Catholic school, and his little brother stayed home. We played mancala, Uno, checkers, and even chess to pass the time. We sorted, counted, added, named colors and created new ones. We dug in the dirt, blended paints, glued, and built with legos and made a contest out of who could make the craziest invention. We even competed over who could build something out of only yellow legos, or just red, or blue, and so on. Or using just onesie, twosies, and foursie legos.
Then our younger boy went to Kindergarten, and our time together was reduced to dinner and story time right before bed. By the time he was in first grade, and still refusing to read--and thus falling far behind his classmates, despite the school's special tutoring--it was obvious we needed to take our children's education into our own hands.
When we first started homeschooling, I had plenty of anxieties about providing our children with a proper education. For the first week, my hand shook as I placed it over my heart and faced our classroom flag and recited the pledge of allegiance. Questions loomed over me: "What am I going to do with them today? Will my lesson plans work? What am I going to do with Mr. I-Won't-Read? Can I adequately teach the boys math and science?"
Little by little, I got to know our boys and their individual needs: Son-number-one needed academic challenges, while our little guy needed to take scholarly baby steps, each one well planned to get him to our goal of developing a love of reading and writing. I planned those steps myself, using only my mother's instincts and lots of prayers.
My baby is now beginning seventh grade, and his brother high school. Both are strong readers and writers. Never did I dream that my anti-book first grader would grow to love H.G. Wells, Jack London, and Mark Twain. Nor did I plan that my oldest would have his own blog and comic book.
Indeed, there is one thing I have to admit that I realized only in retrospect: We've been homeschooling our children from the very beginning--since they were just a few months old and we played on the floor face-to-face. All the fingerpaintings, story time, arts and crafts, weekly trips to the library, and walks about town planted healthy seeds of learning!
If you ever wonder if you can homeschool, ask yourself these simple questions: Do you play with your child? Have you been playing with your child ever since he was a tiny babe? Then you are a homeschooler. No one knows your child like you do. All those hours together have given you a very special insight that no other educator can possess, regardless of how skilled or experienced she is. Your parental instincts and pure intentions are priceless!
Parents are indeed the primary educators of their children. The Church agrees. The Pope agrees. In Deuteronomy, Moses instructs his people to teach their children...when they are at work, when they are rest, when they are at home, when they are away. He doesn't instruct the parents to be sure to find good teachers; he tells them to be the teachers themselves. And he assures them that their efforts will be blessed.
God bless.
One day, the boys and I were watching old family videos. When they were little, I loved grabbing the old VHS camera and taped anything they might have been doing--from munching on graham crackers to finger painting to swimming in the pool. In the video, I could see that our kitchen wall was covered in drawings and paintings, papier mache crafts, and even puppets made out of paper plates.
Every day was an adventure. Story time at ten. A walk at eleven. Classical music during lunch time. Then after nap time, it was an afternoon of arts and crafts. We took trips to the public library every week, without fail, and lugged home a stack of picture story books that kept our imaginations flying. I loved them just as much as the boys did!
When our oldest turned five, it was time to send him to school. It never occurred to us to educate him in any other way. Off he went to Catholic school, and his little brother stayed home. We played mancala, Uno, checkers, and even chess to pass the time. We sorted, counted, added, named colors and created new ones. We dug in the dirt, blended paints, glued, and built with legos and made a contest out of who could make the craziest invention. We even competed over who could build something out of only yellow legos, or just red, or blue, and so on. Or using just onesie, twosies, and foursie legos.
Then our younger boy went to Kindergarten, and our time together was reduced to dinner and story time right before bed. By the time he was in first grade, and still refusing to read--and thus falling far behind his classmates, despite the school's special tutoring--it was obvious we needed to take our children's education into our own hands.
When we first started homeschooling, I had plenty of anxieties about providing our children with a proper education. For the first week, my hand shook as I placed it over my heart and faced our classroom flag and recited the pledge of allegiance. Questions loomed over me: "What am I going to do with them today? Will my lesson plans work? What am I going to do with Mr. I-Won't-Read? Can I adequately teach the boys math and science?"
Little by little, I got to know our boys and their individual needs: Son-number-one needed academic challenges, while our little guy needed to take scholarly baby steps, each one well planned to get him to our goal of developing a love of reading and writing. I planned those steps myself, using only my mother's instincts and lots of prayers.
My baby is now beginning seventh grade, and his brother high school. Both are strong readers and writers. Never did I dream that my anti-book first grader would grow to love H.G. Wells, Jack London, and Mark Twain. Nor did I plan that my oldest would have his own blog and comic book.
Indeed, there is one thing I have to admit that I realized only in retrospect: We've been homeschooling our children from the very beginning--since they were just a few months old and we played on the floor face-to-face. All the fingerpaintings, story time, arts and crafts, weekly trips to the library, and walks about town planted healthy seeds of learning!
If you ever wonder if you can homeschool, ask yourself these simple questions: Do you play with your child? Have you been playing with your child ever since he was a tiny babe? Then you are a homeschooler. No one knows your child like you do. All those hours together have given you a very special insight that no other educator can possess, regardless of how skilled or experienced she is. Your parental instincts and pure intentions are priceless!
Parents are indeed the primary educators of their children. The Church agrees. The Pope agrees. In Deuteronomy, Moses instructs his people to teach their children...when they are at work, when they are rest, when they are at home, when they are away. He doesn't instruct the parents to be sure to find good teachers; he tells them to be the teachers themselves. And he assures them that their efforts will be blessed.
God bless.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Rosary Giveaway Link
 |
| Lamb of God beads handmade by Clay Rosary Girl, Sarah. |
Clay Rosary Girl is giving away one handmade rosary to a lucky follower of Catholic Icing. Check it out and find out how to enter. Click here. I purchased Sarah's Lamb of God choker necklace, and the details are amazing. Have fun! And good luck!
The Catholic Revolver: An Interview
I read a terrific interview with Jerry Weber, host of The Catholic Revolver with Jerry. Jerry followed his calling to start a radio show, which you can follow on Facebook and Twitter. He explains how God has given him the resources to make it a successful yet small and intimate ministry.
Click here to read his on-line chat with Peggy at Don't Know Much About the Rosary?.
God bless.
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