Fall is here and my mind turns to the angels. As the leaves drop and remind us of our earthly transience, our thoughts settle on the spiritual world which is usually hidden from our senses, the world of Heaven, in which dwell the saints and angels. And so, we celebrate the feasts of the Archangels […]
One of the challenges we face in modern society is preserving the meaning of holidays for our children. This is true of Christmas and Easter, but even the National Holidays like President’s Day, Labor Day, and Memorial Day have lost their soul for many Americans. These have become bonus vacation days, rather than a day […]
When you live a life where you try to stay as connected to your Creator as this broken world and your sinful ways allow, you change your perspective on the big picture and the details. He has control over all of it. He can guide your path, deal with the obstacles on the way and […]
When you care a lot about your vocation as parent, you think carefully about many of the choices you make: how to discipline, how to educate, how to feed them, keep them healthy, celebrate holidays, lead them in faith…. Big choices and little choices but most of them deliberate, though not always perfect. The problem […]
At some point between the ages of 5 and 12 most children find a passion. It may be a vocational kind of passion like an animal-lover on the path to veterinary medicine, or an avocation like a softball player who one day applies that determination to passing the Bar Exam. At this tender age, it’s […]
Yes, the secularism, the retail racquet, the commercialism has taken over our American culture and it is never more apparent than in this final month before Christmas. “Good grief!” you may despair. But do not fear. The true meaning of Christmas is still strong with people of Good Will. The best way to effect change […]
Finding the right balance for a refreshing summer vacation for your kids Summer with kids is like lemonade. It’s all about balance. Too much sugar? Not enough lemon? It’s ruined. But when properly balanced, it’s a lovely beverage of sweet and sour contrasts and it’s special. That’s how a kid’s summer should be, special. The […]
Do you ever feel like going out on the front porch and yelling, “Christmas didn’t end on December 26!” While the focus turns to New Year’s Eve, festivities continue for a few more days. In the meantime, the discount bins start filling with Christmas leftovers and the radio stations go back to their typical fare. […]
As I sat in Mass, exhausted, just happy that I got there on time I realized that three candles were lit. Yes, the pink one, too. This rosy candle is supposed to tell us “Rejoice! Gaudete! Our Savior is almost here!” Instead, what I heard was, “Oh no! It’s almost Christmas and I still have […]
A few months ago, I was e-commiserating with a friend about the physical challenges of having children. We were neighbors in the hospital as she delivered her seventh on the same day my fifth was born. Obviously, neither of us were surprised with the toll childbirth, sleepless nights, and nursing took on us. With the […]
My husband and I homeschool our children. This has changed in the last several years from Mom doing all the schooling with Dad’s support, to a true collaborative family effort. At this point, both Mom and Dad are working, so the structure of “school” has changed. Mom manages our middleschooler, who now does most of […]
