Good Friday

I took my girls out of school today... so that they may learn about our faith, about our Lord who gave his life for them.
They were not too happy about it- they wanted to be with their freinds. I understood but asked them... Do you know what was happening to Jesus at this hour?? Do you know what happened to Jesus as we were having our breakfast?
And then started the story of our day and how we went so casually about it. I ran a timeline of our day versus what happened to Jesus on that Good Friday.. the first Good Friday. Lady G sank a little in her seat, listening intently, Queen V asked more detailed questions, Mr. T was busy checking out his new toy car that Queen V brought home from Junk Day and Princess A listened more than I thought she would... answering with "oh, no!" or a "gross!" It was an interesting ride to church to say the least but I wanted to impress upon them that the world is bigger than them.. bigger than their school where their friends are- where the fun was so they thought. This day is not about fun but about reflection. A reflection of our lives, as Jesus' life and how ours are so intertwined and it is GOOD to stop and reflect how important this day is to us, to our family, to our faith.


What do you pray as you go about the Stations of the Cross? What do you say to Jesus? My kids, still being kids, are looking for guidance as to what to say to Jesus...
This was the last prayer we said before leaving the silent church:

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus,
I cast myself upon my knees in Your sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul
I pray and beseech You
that You would impress upon my heart lively sentiments
of Faith, Hope and Charity,
true repentance for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment,
while with deep affection and grief of soul
I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Your five most precious wounds, having before my eyes that which
David spoke in prophecy of You, O good Jesus:
they have pierced my hands and feet,
they have numbered all my bones.

Holy Thursday

and Jesus went into the garden to pray all night..

Learning Christ
Teach me,
my Lord,
to be sweet and gentle
In all the events of life-
in disappointments,
in the thoughtlessness of others,
in the insincerity of those I trusted,
in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.

Let me put myself aside,
to think of the happiness of others,
to hide my little pains and heartaches,
so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.

Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path.
Let me so use it that is may mellow me, not harden nor embitter me;
That it may make me patient, not irritable.
That is may make me broad in
My forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing.

May no one be less good for having come within my influence.
No one less pure,
Less true, less kind, less noble for having been a fellow-traveler in our journey
Toward ETERNAL LIFE.

As I go my rounds from one distraction to another,
let me whisper from time to time,
A word of love to Thee.
May my life be lived in the super-natural,
full of power for Good,
and strong in its purpose of sanctity.

Girls on the Run!

Queen V and Lady G have been training for a 5K. Yep, a 5K. Amazing, isn't it?? It's not just about the running though. This training that they have done has prepared them for so much- finding and setting and keeping goals- who doesn't need that? Perseverance... big word for such little girls but with the world ahead of them this is not just a good thing, but a great thing!
Completion- to find, set and complete goals- long term and short term.
Friendships- who runs, who helps, who cheers another on.. even for the little things
Family- to stick together.. find comfort in family, to confide in one another

They had their cousins as running buddies... from playing at Gran's to being able to hang out with each other as they get older.. I hope they stay close!

You bring back memories...

Little guy, you crack me up. I see so much of your granddaddy in you at times. You never met him but you put your hands in your pocket like he did to find your coins. You love to have coins in your pocket. Your grandaddy always had coins in his pockets.

You are quick with a smile... even when you are being bad.. especially when you are being bad.. you so have my number. When you know something like a smile will get what you are wanting. I am on to you, too, though!

simple times

May the sun shine, all day long,
everything go right, and nothing wrong.
May those you love bring love back to you,
and may all the wishes you wish come true!
~Irish Blessing

red, white and a whole-lotta blue!

under a Chinaberry tree we found the most lovely patch of bluebonnets. It was a dream with the fence, the two barns and lots of shade... I could have had an entire day spent here with Princess A. This was the day to teach her how to walk in the bluebonnets so they wouldn't get trampled....
very carefully she stepped through them. There was a perfect patch here and there to allow for little feet to step through and pause just long enough for me to catch a few photos.