Seven Quick Takes-Links and Quotes

I've got some great links I want to share, and a few more favorite quotes that have been working my heart this week, so today's quick takes is a mixed bag.

1. My sister Debby has an awesome blog, Heavenly Humor. She has been working on a children's book called "The King's Kids" and has been posting pages of it on her blog. Today's page features none other than my precious daughter, Mary. (It's the same picture from my sidebar with some lovely additions.) Won't you check it out?

2. A quote for Lent that helps me feel better about my failures comes from my own parish Pastor, Fr. Dave...“Flunking Lent is still a gift from God. When you do well following your Lenten observances, that isn’t goodness on your part. It is God who gave you the strength to do it. So, when you fail to have the strength to follow through on your Lenten observances, that too, is a gift from God.” Fr. Dave Cooper, Pastor St. Matthias Parish, Milwaukee

3. A blog that I have recently begun to follow that lifts me up tremendously with daily reflections on the readings is Redemptorist Preacher written by Fr. Jon. It is always a source of great inspiration, both uplifting and convicting. I highly encourage you to pay him a visit!

4. I've been working on the freedom that comes from forgiveness this Lent, and this quote really speaks to my heart. It's from Creighton University Daily Reflections, which, by the way, is another awesome resource that I can't miss! I've been reading the reflections daily for the past few years. “Forgiveness happens in layers, especially when it is a huge or deep hurt. We can forgive, and then years later a triggering event happens and the old wound resurfaces. Again, we pray to forgive.” Joan Lanahan, Creighton University Daily Reflections

5. I've written about a lovely Holy Hour that I attended last weekend at our Seminary. The Holy Hour was sponsored by The Missionary Servants of the Holy Family, a new lay group whose focus is to pray for the sanctity of families. It is a beautiful effort run by a sweet young girl, Maryclare Stephens who has a wonderfully large heart and a deep love for God and for families. Please visit her website and join her in prayer for families and for the success of her lay effort. When you visit, be sure to check out the photos link, they're very inspirational!

6. This Lent the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is celebrating "The Season of Mercy". I think this quote is awesome and very fitting, and I highly recommend the book it is from-it's wonderful! “In a careless moment, when we accidentally leave the door to our hearts slightly ajar, God comes barging in and corners us and tells us the truth that strips all the lies and deception and pretensions away: we are loved to the core of our being. We are loved despite all of our weaknesses and failures, and we are not going to change God’s mind about this matter. Nor are we going to change His heart. The only question left for us to answer is this: will we accept God’s mercy?” Patrick Hannon, The Geography of God’s Mercy

7. Just a Minute is a lovely blog with great writing and fabulous pictures. Jenny H. prays with the Psalms every Saturday. This week she is praying and reflecting on Psalm 9. Won't you join her?

Thanks to Jennifer at Conversion Diary for the MEME! Have a wonderful weekend!

A Love Letter

It rained here today, all day long. As I was driving the kids to school this morning, I was feeling as down as the weather. I recalled a poem that my best friend Sylvia gave to me when I was in high school. The words in the poem "my tears were in the rain" reminded me of the comfort I felt in knowing that whenever I am sad and my tears are falling, Jesus is crying, too. I went home to look for the poem and found that I still have it after all these years, although the paper it is written on is now wrinkled and shabby looking. But the words written on that crumpled paper are still deeply meaningful and beautiful. I have no idea who originally wrote this or what the source is, but I pray that it will bring comfort and encouragement to you as well.

Dear Friend,
How are you? I just had to send a note to tell you how much I love you and care about you.
I saw you yesterday as you were talking with your friends. I waited all day, hoping you would want to talk with Me also. As evening drew near, I gave you a sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to rest you-and I waited. You never came. Oh, yes, it hurts Me-but I still love you because I am your Friend.
I saw you fall asleep last night and longed to touch your brow, so I spilled moonlight upon your pillow and face. Again I waited, wanting to rush down so we could talk. I have so many gifts for you! You awakened late and rushed off to work. My tears were in the rain.
Today you looked so sad-so all alone. It makes My heart ache because I understand. My friends let Me down and hurt Me many times, too, but I love you.
Oh, if you would only listen to Me. I love you! I try to tell you in the blue sky and in the quiet green grass. I whisper it in the leaves on the trees and breathe it in the colors of flowers. I shout it to you in mountain streams and give the birds love songs to sing. I clothe you with warm sunshine and perfume the air with nature scents. My love for you is deeper than the ocean and bigger than the biggest want or need in your head. Oh, if you only knew how much I want to walk and talk with you. We could spend an eternity together in heaven.
I know how hard it is on this earth; I really know! And I want to help you. I want you to meet My Father. He wants to help you, too. My Father is that way, you know.
Just call Me-ask Me-talk with me! Oh, please don't forget Me. I have so much to share with you!
All right, I won't bother you any further. You are free to choose Me. It's your decision. I have chosen you, and because of this I will wait-because I love you!
Your Friend,
Jesus

The Pharisee

"My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and be glad." Psalm 34:2

she holds her head up high
as if she’s someone special
and complains when others don’t notice

afraid that if they don't see
anything special about her
what they will see is that she is
really just a fraud
an imposter

pretending to be better
than she really is
not wanting others to know
that she is simply a sinner
like everybody else

waiting all day for praise that never comes
she fails to see the good that others do

perhaps a little kindness towards others
would go a long way toward building
true self-esteem, rather than false pride

instead of crying, “Look at me!”
she should be saying, “Look at them!
how wonderful they all are!"

Lord, open her heart to the good in others
break down her pride
and craving for attention

teach her your gentle humility
and remind her that You are the only reason to boast

"Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

The Reality of God's Presence

sitting behind this computer screen

writing my life

instead of living it

how I wish I were gazing into your eyes

instead of looking at this monitor

how I wish my fingers were touching your hand

instead of tapping on these keys

how I wish my words were spoken into your ears

instead of filling this screen

waiting for a virtual response

can make a conversation last forever

this internet world can feel so lonely

so empty

without the reality of your presence

here and now

how grateful I am that although

I may be physically alone with the computer

my soul is never alone

for God fills it with His Spirit

until it overflows

it is His tears that moisten my eyes

as I stare at the screen

it is the touch of His Spirit that moves my

fingertips across the letters

it is His whisper that clicks

in the compression of the keys

I never have to wait for God to speak to me

for He lives and breathes within me

forever close with His real presence

here, now and always

Seven Quick Takes-Favorite Quotes

This past week I spent some time looking through all of my prayer journals and found lots of quotes that I had jotted down from books, homilies and websites that had touched my heart in a deep and meaningful way, so I decided to share them on the quick takes. I so enjoyed looking through my journals of favorite quotes to choose these seven, that I just might make this my weekly quick takes theme. I hope you are as inspired by these words as I am, and that they help to draw you close to the heart of God.


1. Dive deeply into the miracle of life and let the tips of your wings be burnt by the flame, let your feet be lacerated by the thorns, let your heart be stirred by human emotion, and let your soul be lifted beyond the earth. ~Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, Call of the Dervish

2. How did the rose ever open its heart and give to this world all of its beauty? It felt the encouragement of Light against its being; otherwise we all remain too frightened. ~Hafiz, Love Poems from God (translated by Daniel Ladinsky)

3. For that contrariness is cause of our tribulations and all our woe, and our Lord Jesus taketh them and sendeth them up to Heaven, and there they are made more sweet and delectable than heart may think or tongue may tell. ~Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love

4. When perplexed, always decide I will combat it by humble love. You can conquer the whole world. Loving humbly is a terrible force-it is the strongest of all things and there is nothing else like it. ~Kenneth Leech, Soul Friend

5. When we break open the alabaster jars of our lives, the world is filled with the fragrance of Christ. ~Fr. Don Hying, Rector, St. Francis de Sales Seminary, Milwaukee

6. God asked me to show Him where it hurt, and every cell in my body burst into tears before His tender eyes. ~Rabia, Love Poems from God (translated by Daniel Ladinsky)

7. And when the turmoil becomes too great and I am completely at my wits end, then I still have my folded hands and my bended knee...it is my most precious inheritance...the girl who learned to pray. That is my most intimate gesture, more intimate than being with a man. After all, one can't pour the whole of one's love out over a single man, can one? ~Etty Hillesum, An Interrupted Life

Thanks to Jennifer at Conversion Diary for this MEME

A Mother's Love

Fever raged through her small body
throat red and sore,
like "pieces of broken glass" she said.

Eyes fluttering open and closed
as she drifted in and out of sleep.

My eight year old baby was sick,
body ravaged by the aches
and pains of the viral flu.

I silently sat with her and
watched over her in her misery.

She opened her mouth and
whispered her gratitude-
"Thank you, Mom," she said,
"thank you for taking care of me."

The influenza bug has entered my home and my children are coughing and sneezing their way through these late winter days. Visits to the doctor bring serious diagnoses like bronchitis and walking pneumonia. The local pharmacist has come to know my husband on a first name basis as he has become a frequent visitor purchasing various antibiotics and cold remedy prescriptions until our home has become a mini-pharmacy of it's own. It is a challenge for a working mom, torn between leaving the teens home to fend for themselves while I earn or living, or staying home with them to give them a bit of comfort and care in these last few years before they move out of the house and have to care for themselves. They will always be my babies, no matter how old they become. I will always yearn to be with them whenever I feel that they might need my loving arms.

Isn't that how it is with our Mother in heaven? Doesn't she long to care for us, simply by sitting by our side whenever we aren't feeling well? All we have to do is call out to her, remind her that we are always her children in need of the love and care of our Mother, and there she will be, right by our side, pressing our faces close to her own and whispering our names. We will always be her babies and she will always be our Mother, no matter how old we become.

Thank you beautiful Mother, for all of your love and affection.

On this day, O Beautiful Mother!
On this day we give thee our love;
Near thee, Madonna, fondly we hover,
trusting thy gentle care to prove.

On this day we ask to share, dearest Mother,
thy sweet care;
Aid us e'er, our feet astray, wandering from
thy guiding way.

Queen of Angels, deign to hear, thy dear
children's humble pray'r;
Young hearts gain, O Virgin pure, sweetly
to thyself allure.

Good and Perfect Gifts

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17
















I was overcome by sin, shaking inside and out
from the mess I had made of my life
and He offered me the Sacrament of Reconciliation
with the promise of a celebration in the end.
"Go have an ice cream cone for your penance"
the priest said.

I was feeling insignificant and invisible
looking for a little affirmation to draw me
out of my self-pity.
Father stopped and thanked me
for being a role-model by
faithfully bringing my children
to Mass each day. Those words lifted my spirits
and opened me to pay attention to others
who may be in need of a bit of praise.

I was looking for something new,
feeling worn down by the familiarity
of my faith.
He drew me to a Holy Hour
where enchantingly beautiful girls
covered their long hair with lace mantillas
and dressed in modestly long skirts;
where incense filled my nostrils and my
ears were delighted by prayers in Latin.

I wanted peace and quiet
after too many hours of frantic
weekend activity, racing from one place
to the next at a dizzying pace.
I found it in a Taize prayer service
where the hush of silence in glowing candlelight
punctuated by harmonious chants
stilled my weary soul.

I needed a smile to start my day and God blessed
me with a husband who remembers the fun of childhood,
and loves to amuse me in the most joyful of ways.
I sat behind the steering wheel of the van, ready to begin my day
and smiled at the prayer card of Archbishop Listecki that was
looking back at me-a visual sign from my husband
that he had been in the van before me and wanted to
cue me into his presence.
What he didn't know was that was the day of the week
which I had signed up to pray the rosary for the good Archbishop,
and my husband's little prank
was a pleasant reminder to do just that.

God always knows what I need-whether it be
forgiveness
a little praise
a unique way to pray
peace and quiet
a smile
or a reminder to pray for others-
He always makes sure that I receive it!

Praise be our God who cares for us so well!