Advent Calender

*JMJ* As all of us Catholics know, it is the First Sunday of Advent. But maybe there is someone visiting my blog who isn't Catholic and is just curious about Advent. Advent begins in the Catholic Church, the fourth Sunday before Christmas. We are waiting for the arrival of baby Jesus to be born as we remember his birth. Since Catholics know that the Lord has already been born, we usually talk about the Lord's second coming and how we are to continually wait for him. And our priest talked about that in his homily today.

"Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping."

-Mk 13:35-36

There a four candles in the Advent wreath. They have one in all parishes and Catholic families like to have one in their homes. The first and the second week, you light a purple candle. On the third week of Advent you light the pink one. I always heard that the pink candle is a short little break you can take if you choose from the Advent season. But you should still say or prayers and go to Mass. And the last week of Advent you light another purple candle. So at this time all four candles will be burning.

We are doing something new this year in my household. Last year after Christmas when everything went on sale, I seen this Advent Calender that I purchased. My son is still young enough to enjoy something like that. So the whole family gathered around and he opened up the first door to see what was inside. Every day he will open up the next door until they are all opened. Pst...I only have the calendar half full. I have to get another 14 trinkets, so I have to go hunting around for stuff for the Advent calender tomorrow. Does anyone have any ideas?

Anyway I took some pictures for you all to see.

A little ornament of the nativity that my son had to hang on our Christmas tree. I thought that that would be a nice thing to put inside the first box. We're starting out the Advent season with the Holy Family. I just thought that that would be fitting. Plus, as you know, I love the Holy Family and I dedicated my blog to them.

I love this little saying around this time of year. I don't know who started it but I'm sure some of you have heard it before. 'Jesus is the reason for the season!' Let's not forget that. Or if you weren't aware of that, ponder that. Because it's so true.

P.S. Don't forget to light your Advent wreath tonight.

Our Thanksgiving

*JMJ* My father-in-law was released for the third time today from the hospital. He has only had his heart surgery a month ago. So he is still in need of many prayers. We were planning to have Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year to relieve my in-laws of having to cook for the family. This was the first time in 18 years since I've been married that we did not spend Thanksgiving with my mother and father-in-law. He was released from the hospital today and my Mom had to care for my Dad so they weren't able to attend the dinner. My hubby and I talked about maybe sending food over to them with some pie perhaps. Well after dinner as I was starting to clean up, I just started to make a couple of plates up with everything that I could possibly fit onto them. I forgot the butter pickles though. Wrapped them up and then got out the pumpkin pie. I cut out two slices and wrapped them as well. So what did my family do? What else. We were going to send Mom and Dad Thanksgiving dinner to their door. So this is how we managed it. My hubby got into his car and was going to be the driver.The first plate I gave to my adult daughter and told her to get into Dad's backseat. Then I gave the second plate to my teenage son and told him also to get into the backseat. Now we needed someone to hold the pie and there was only one person left. My daughters hubby. I gave him the plate with the pie slices. Then he tucked the whip cream canister in his coat pocket. Then I asked him if he had room to carry one more thing. He said yes. I gave him a cup with gravy in it. You have to have gravy with mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving. And I stayed home to watch the little ones while they transported the food over to there grandparents house. See, it all worked out. We worked as a team, like family should. It was sad that they weren't with us and I even got all teary-eyed at prayer time. But I said during our prayer that I was just glad that Dad (Grandpa to my kids) was still with us. I was so proud of us as a family and especially of my children. This is the stuff that I want them to remember. I want them to remember that they brought over Thanksgiving dinner to there grandparents who are going through a difficult time. I can't take credit for the idea of sending dinner over to my parents. It was my hubby's idea. I'm not looking to get credit for it either. I'm just saying, my kids were shown to take this opportunity to help others in need. That it doesn't have to be a stranger, although that would be great to. But it's good to help out in your own family as well. Wherever the opportunity lies to take care of someone, reach out to them and just show them some love. I'm proud of my family for that. That we worked as a team to help two people whom we dearly love. I want my children to say in the years to come, "Remember when..." That is the stuff that I want them to remember. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Lighting of the Advent Wreath

*JMJ* The other day I got a phone call from my parish asking if my family would be interested in lighting the fourth candle on the Advent Wreath at the beginning of Mass. I said yes! I was so honored that they would think of my family. I'm a little nervous because I am so shy but what the heck. I just felt so touched that my family was thought of.

First Holy Communion

*JMJ* I went to a meeting last Saturday night at my church for my son who will be making his First Holy Communion in the spring of 2009. And the date will be Sunday, May 17, 2009 @ 10:30 Mass. I am so excited and so happy that my little boy will be able to receive the Eucharist soon instead of just walking up with me. This is what I've always wanted for him since he was born. And it's a lot of work and dedication to get your child to this point. I've always told my husband that if I ever died, to make sure that our son gets his First Eucharist and gets confirmed! He promised he would. That is so important to me that all of my children get their sacraments through the church. I know that the Lord wants me to do that. That is my job as a Catholic parent to make sure that they receive there Catholic sacraments. I'm already looking ahead to my son's confirmation. It's like my heart can't rest until he gets confirmed. I don't know what the strong feelings are about, but have always been like that since I became Catholic nine years ago. I've always had this strong feeling that I need to pass along my religion down to my children. Partly because I can just tell and feel that I'm going to be judged for that one day. I know it sounds weird, but I can sense that this is what I have to do for my children. And when it comes to the Lord asking me for something, I'm not taking any chances. :-) I also found out that the boys have to wear dark colored slacks, a white button down shirt with a white tie. Oh I'm getting so excited just thinking about it! I want to get his pictures taken like I did for my other children with him holding a rosary and his little communion book in his little hands. Oh how sweet. He's going to look so cute. I love him so much. God Bless!

Prayer Request

*JMJ* I would like to make two prayer requests. I would like to ask my readers if they could pray for my Father-in-law. He had open heart surgery a few weeks ago and is still in need a prayers. I'll put a icon for my Father-in-law on my sidebar of my blog as he continues to recover. The next prayer request that I'm asking from my readers is to pray for my daughter and her unborn child. Her pregnancy is being threatened by a miscarriage. I will also put a little icon on the side of my blog for her and her unborn child. She has the ultra sound pictures and video up on her blog if you'd like to see it. http://aaydensmommy.blogspot.com/ Thank you.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Statue

*JMJ* This is my statue I have of the Holy Family. I wanted to have a Holy Family prayer to go along with it but I couldn't find one at the time of this posting.

Yesterday when I was working on my new blog, this little rainbow light was shining onto my keyboard from the window. It was reflecting off of something so I took it as a little sign that God is watching over my little blogging efforts. God bless you!

My First Post!

*JMJ* Welcome all of you to my new blog. This is my second blog. I am also the author of Peek-A-Boo Street. http://peekaboostreet.blogspot.com/ I am so excited about my new blog. I have a devotion to the Holy Family. So I want to dedicate this blog to the Holy Family, JMJ (Jesus, Mary, Joseph.) I even have a statue of the Holy Family in my living room where I can view it easily every day and not tucked into a cabinet somewhere. I am a housewife. So my whole life is dedicated to my family. Plus on a sad note, my parents were divorced when I was a child. So those are the two reasons why I have such a devotion to the Holy Family. I just absolutely love the Holy Family and that is why I want to dedicate my new blog to the Holy Family. So bare with me as I start up my new blog here. But please come back and visit. I would love to hear from you. So please leave comments as I continue on with my new blog. Also that way, I can check out your blog as well. I would love to see them.

The Month of the Rosary

*NOTE I transferred this post from my other blog. That's why it came before my first post.* Sunday, October 12, 2008 The Month of the Rosary *JMJ* Hello you all. Today is Sunday...it's...the Lord's day! If you are a follower of my blog you know that I say that often. Also you know that I do write about my Catholic religion once in awhile.Today I would like to share with you that October is the month of the rosary.I do love to recite the Rosary. It is my favorite prayer of all, in the Catholic religion. A lot of people don't like to recite it because of it's length of prayer and you do have to meditate on the mysteries. It is a very powerful prayer. I do try to recite it daily, like the Blessed Virgin Mary wants us to.The rosary in this picture was a gift to my family from my husbands aunt. She and her husband visited Italy and the Vatican and all that. It is one of my favorite rosary's that I have. It's very special because it was blessed by Pope John Paul ll. The rosary is made of rose wood and has the scent of roses. Every time you open up the little box it comes in, it smells like roses to.

I was thinking about typing up how to recite the rosary but decided not to because you can find that pretty much anywhere. In books and on the Internet. So I thought that I would type up for you the 15 promises of the rosary from Our Lady. I like to read over these often because I just like to be reminded of it.The 15 Promises from our Lady who recite the rosary : 1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. 2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. 4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. 5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish. 6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church. 8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise. 9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven. 11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. 13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. 14. All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sister of my only Son, Jesus Christ. 15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.I hope this brings you peace as it does for me over and over and over again. Posted Anne at 10/12/2008 06:00:00 AM 3 comments

Adoration Chapel

*NOTE that this post was transferred from my other blog. That is why it was written before my first post on this blog.* Sunday, September 7, 2008 Adoration Chapel First and foremost...It's...the Lord's day! So I hope you all are having a very blessed day.Today I will be talking about my religion. About the Adoration Chapel. I know that this subject may deter bloggers away from my blog but, my religion is so much apart of me, and if I'm going to keep it real than I need to be honest with you about who I am. And no I'm not some religious nut. I have been a Catholic for nine years now. I'm not a cradle Catholic which means a person has grown up Catholic. So I am still learning about my religion. And no I don't have all the answers. I fumble all the time! And God let's me know almost daily that I am not perfect in any means.But anyway I want to focus on the Adoration Chapel. My parish is so fortunate to have an Perpetual Adoration Chapel right on our parish campus. Not all parishes have an Adoration Chapel. We have a Perpetual Adoration Chapel which means it stays open around the clock. The only time it is not open is during Triduum. The three days before Easter. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and I believe Easter Sunday it's closed also. Our parish is over 30 years old and our chapel has just celebrated it's 12th year from when it opened.I love to sit in front the the Blessed Sacrament inside the chapel. You come in with all your problems, worries, or whatever is weighing on your mind. As soon as you sit down and your eyes gaze upon the Blessed Sacrament, you just feel such peace. This bible verse: Mathew 11:28-30..."Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." I just love that verse. That verse also comes to mind when I am sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Not only do I feel peace but I'm also in awe of the mystery of the Blessed Sacrament. That Jesus is really present in the Host. My heart just believes that it's true. That's faith. A gift from God. Fr.Martin Lucia said in this Pamphlet that I have, "Jesus will spend all eternity thanking you and loving you in heaven for your faithful commitment on earth of spending one hour each week with Him in the Blessed Sacrament." I find that comforting. I just love this brochure and I reread it from time to time. And I would like to share it with you. It's a little lengthy, so today I will list the twelve BIBLICAL reasons to visit the Blessed Sacrament for an hour a week. Tomorrow I will list the twelve reasons the CHURCH suggests to sit before the Sacrament once a week for an hour.I will type exactly how the pamphlet is typed out. Again this was written by Fr. Martin Lucia. Here are the twelve BIBLICAL reasons to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament for and hour every week: 1. HE IS REALLY THERE! "I Myself Am the Living Bread come down from heaven." (Jn 6:35) 2. Day and night Jesus dwells in the Blessed Sacrament BECAUSE OF HIS INFINITE LOVE FOR YOU! "Behold I will be with you always even to the end of the world," because "I have loved you with an everlasting love, and constant is my affection for you." (Mt 28:20; Jer 31:3) 3. the specific way that Jesus asks you to love Him in return is to spend ONE QUIET HOUR WITH HIM EACH WEEK in the Blessed Sacrament. "Where your treasure is, there is your heart..." "Could you not watch one hour with me? (Mt 6:21;26:40) 4. When you look upon the Sacred Host, YOU LOOK UPON JESUS,the Son of God. "Indeed, this is the will My Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day." (Jn 6:40) 5. Each moment that you spend in His Eucharistic Presence will INCREASE HIS DIVINE LIFE WITHIN YOU and deepen your personal relationship and friendship with Him. "I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly." "I am the Vine and you are the branches. Whoever remains in union with Me shall bear much fruit for without Me, you can do nothing." (Jn 10:10;15:5) 6. Each hour you spend with Jesus will DEEPEN HIS DIVINE PEACE within your heart. "Come to Me all of you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will refresh you..." "Cast all of your anxieties upon the Lord, who cares for you." (Mt 11:28; 1Pt 5:7; Jn 14:17) 7. Jesus will give you ALL THE GRACES YOU NEED to be happy in life. "The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water." (Rev 7:17) 8. Jesus is infinitely DESERVING OF OUR UNCEASING THANKSGIVING and adoration for all He has done for our salvation. "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive honor , glory and praise." (Rev 5:12) 9. For PEACE in our country! "When My people humble themselves and seek My Presence, I will revive their land." (2Ch 7:14) 10. Each hour you spend with Jesus on earth will leave your soul EVERLASTINGLY MORE BEAUTIFUL AND GLORIOUS in heaven. "They who humble themselves shall be exalted..." "All of us, gazing on the Lord's glory with unveiled faces, are being transformed from glory to glory into His very image." (Lk 18:14; 2 Cor 3"18) 11. JESUS WILL BLESS YOU, your family and the whole world for this hour of faith you spend with Him in the Blessed Sacrament. "Blessed are they who do not see and yet believe..." "Faith can move mountains..." "What is needed is trust..." "Behold I come to make all things new." (Jn 20:29; Mk 11:23; Mk 5:36; Rev. 21:5) 12. Each moment you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament BRINGS JOY, PLEASURE AND DELIGHT TO HIS SACRED HEART! "My joy, My pleasure, My delight is to be with you." (Prov 8:31) Posted Anne at 9/07/2008 12:02:00 PM 1 comments

Adoration Chapel Cont.

*NOTE that this post was transferred from my other blog. That is why it's written before my first post of this blog.* Monday, September 8, 2008 Adoration Chapel Cont. Today I will continue on from my previous post. With this second list, the author of the quotes come from different popes. So I will include that. But the list comes from the same pamphlet that I spoke of earlier. So here goes the list. These are twelve reasons why the Church suggests we sit before the Blessed Sacrament for an hour a week. 1. You are greatly needed! "The Church and the world have great need for Eucharistic adoration." (Pope John Paul ll) 2. This is a personal invitation from Jesus to you! "Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love." (Pope John Paul ll) 3. Jesus is counting on you! "Every member of the Church must be vigilant in seeing that this Sacrament shall be given back 'love for love'." (Pope John Paul ll) 4. Because your hour with Jesus will repair for the evils of the world, and bring about peace on earth, the Church says; "Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him...May our adoration never cease." (Pope John Paul ll) 5. Jesus wants you to do more than go to Mass on Sunday! "Our communal worship at Mass must go together with our personal worship of Jesus in Eucharistic adoration in order that our love may be complete." (Pope John Paul ll) 6. Day and night Jesus dwells in the Blessed Sacrament because you are the most important person in the world to Him! "Beneath the Sacred Host, Christ is contained, the Redeemer of the world." (Pope John Paul ll)7. You grow spiritually with each moment you spend with Jesus! "Our essential commitment in life is to grow spiritually in the climate of the Holy Eucharist." (Pope John Paul ll) 8. The best time you spend on earth is with your Best Friend, Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament!" "How great is the value of converse with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, for there is nothing more consoling on earth, nothing more efficacious for advancing along the road to holiness! (Pope Paul Vl) 9. Just as you can't be exposed t the sun without receiving its rays neither can you come to Jesus exposed in the Blessed Sacrament without receiving the divine rays of His grace, His love, His peace. "Christ is truly the Emmanuel, that is, 'God with us' day and night, He is in our midst. He dwells with us full of grace." (Pope Paul Vl) 10. If Jesus were actually visible in the Church, everyone would run to welcome Him. But He remains hidden in the Sacred Host, under the appearance of Bread, because He is calling us to faith. "The Blessed Sacrament is the 'Living Heart" of each of our churches, and it is our very sweet duty to honor and adore in the Blessed Host which our eyes see, the Incarnate Word, Whom they cannot see." ( Pope Paul Vl) 11. With transforming mercy, Jesus makes our heart one with His. "Jesus teaches those who come to Him to be like Himself, gentle and humble of heart, and to seek not their own will, but the will of God." (Pope Paul Vl)12. If the Pope himself would give a special invitation to visit him in the Vatican, this honor would be nothing in comparison to the honor and dignity that Jesus Himself bestows upon you with the invitation of spending one hour a week with Him in the Blessed Sacrament. "The Divine Eucharist bestows upon the Christian people an incomparable dignity." (Pope Paul Vl) I love to go to the Chapel. It brings me peace. It makes me feel renewed. The only way I can explain it is that whenever I'm in the chapel I feel so giddy inside. I feel like I have found a treasure. I have found gold or something. When I first became Catholic, I was like "Wow! Does anyone else know about this place?" I still feel like that today. Sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament I know that right before me is a little piece of heaven right here on earth. What moves me to tears sometimes is when I'm alone in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel. Just me and Jesus. What if I didn't go that day. Who would be there? I always think it's a gift from the Lord when I find myself alone with Him at the chapel. During those times I'll pray most fervently or I'll be still, to just feel the peace, of being in the Lord's presence. Posted Anne at 9/08/2008 04:00:00 PM 2 comments

911

*NOTE that this post was transferred from my other blog. That is why it's date is before the beginning of this blog.* Tuesday, August 19, 2008 911 Has anyone had the experience of continuing to see the numbers 911 since what had happened to our country on Sept. 11, 2001? I do and I have heard that it has occurred to others as well. It doesn't happen to me as often as it has in the past. Between the years of 2005 to 2006 is when it occurred the most and I'm speaking almost on a daily basis! I would walk into another room to speak to my husband, look up, and the clock would read...

It still happens when I look at a clock sometimes. A clock is where I would mostly see 911.If I needed help with crocheting I would go on the Internet and come across a web page that said something like 'Crocheting & Knitting 911.'http://www.knit911.com/home.htmlOne time I had stopped behind a car and their licence plate would have 911 on it. One time (family was with me, otherwise no one would believe me), we were driving down the road and I said to my family to look at the car ahead....it not only 911 on it.... it had my son's name on the plate as well!!! No kidding!!! Thank goodness my family was there because they would have never of believed me!One time my husband and I went out to eat early and the restaurant wasn't open yet so we decided to drive around for awhile. This is what I saw (went back and got picture for today's post though)....

Yeah...weird. And thank gosh my husband was with me at the time I seen this. Because no one would have believed it!! We were making a U turn and I happened to look straight ahead and I was like, "Oh my gosh!! Look! Look!" I know that the picture of the bible page I have posted is hard to see but if you click on the picture it should show up larger to help you see it better. This bible, American Bible was given to me from my parish when I was going through the R.C.I.A. to become a Catholic in the spring of 1999. When I kept seeing the numbers 911 all the time I was like okay what is God trying to tell me here. Obviously I thought, I'm just not getting it. This number 911 was showing up everywhere in my life. Well of course I was thinking that something bad was going to happen to me or my family. Then I thought maybe it's in a bible verse. I opened my bible to some of my favorite books inside the bible. I looked in to the Proverbs chapter 9, verse 11. Are you ready for this? Chapter 9 was there. I was going down to verse 8, 9, 10...12! Verse 11 was gone! I read the whole chapter 9 and found verse11 between 6 and verse 7. How weird! The verse reads this; For by me your days will be multiplied and the years of your life increased. So if you can click on the bible page and see for yourself that verse 11 isn't between 10 and 12.

People who text my cell phone or send me e-mails is where I'll also notice 911 for the time the person had sent it to me. When you get done reading this. Scroll down and see the time on my very first post the other day. It was actually a mistake. There is no post to read. I was going to try and erase it but I thought I'd just leave it. Signing off from, Peek-A-Boo Street Posted Anne at 8/19/2008 02:40:00 PM 2 comments