Category: good for the soul

Posted on

getting to the heart of the matter — and the Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious giveaway!

BBB-Mug1-300x300Welcome to Day 6 of the Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious Blog Tour: Ten Bodacious Basics…Ten Minutes at a Time! Listen to today’s Audio Boo and enter to win your own copy of the book by leaving a comment, and then go visit the other blogs participating to get more great content (and chances to enter!).

 

Ok ladies — and guys, too, this is an equal opportunity opportunity. If you’re anything like me, the idea of taking a week, or even a weekend for a retreat or personal reflection on themes that are so important to our lives as women is crazy. We’re busy. Or so we say.

But that’s precisely why we need to take time to nurture our spirituality — whether we’re champion church ladies that can whisper a rosary in 5-minutes flat, or we’re curious about some things we’ve heard — perhaps a terminology we’re not familiar with. Or, like me, yearning to know more but not quite knowing where to get started.

If any of these scenarios apply to you, then you’ve come to the right place! Let me introduce you to my friend, Pat Gohn. Wife. Mother. Daughter. Catechist. Writer. Skilled Scrabble player, connoisseur of chocolate, chatty girlfriend, and author of a magnificent little book with a sassy title:

photo-662x1024

That title caught your attention, didn’t it? I know! What’s inside is even more amazing! Listen to Pat read this excerpt from the book. Her words will move you as she shares about the gifts of prayer in her life and love in action when a group of women respond tenderly to her needs during a difficult time in her life.

[gigya src=”http://boos.audioboo.fm/swf/fullsize_player.swf” flashvars=”mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F1338134-another-cup-of-coffee-hosts-the-blessed-beautiful-bodacious-blog-tour.mp3%3Fsource%3Dwordpress&mp3Author=PatGohn&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F1338134-another-cup-of-coffee-hosts-the-blessed-beautiful-bodacious-blog-tour&mp3Time=08.18am+18+Apr+2013&mp3Title=Another+Cup+of+Coffee+hosts+the+Blessed%2C+Beautiful%2C+%26+Bodacious+Blog+Tour” width=”400″ height=”160″ allowFullScreen=”true” wmode=”transparent”]

Now reflect and share on this quote from Blessed John Paul II…

“Perhaps more than men, women acknowledge the person, because they see persons with their hearts. They see them independently of various ideological or political systems. They see others in their greatness and limitations; they try to go out to them and help them.” (Letter to Women, par 12)

I want you to read the book. Pat wants you to read the book. And the good people at Ave Maria Press want you to read the book, so I’m giving away a copy right here. Just leave your thoughts about Blessed John Paul’s quote in the comments below. The contest ends at 11:59 PM, EST, on April 26, 2013. I’ll pick one winner by random drawing during the live recording of Catholic Weekend on April 27.

Until then, you might want to ponder this:

 

Screen Shot 2013-04-18 at 8.47.23 PM

 

Posted on

On Popes, St. Francis, and a pretty little Petunia

100_6729

It’s been a crazy week, hasn’t it? By Wednesday evening it seemed like three weeks had passed, not three days! The big news is, of course, our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. Kinda neat to say that, isn’t it? I’m not going into any newsy stuff or deep thoughts because frankly (you like that pun?) so many others are doing a far better job of it, but I will share some related happenings. Mostly because I think they are all related, in the kind of way we can make anything related with enough imagination.

You see, that  little petunia that sits above my sink flowered on Wednesday. I know, so what? Well, not so what. I’ve been hoping it would flower this year — and if you know anything about me, I have a real gift for killing plants. Anyway, I’ve been very distracted for some time. I was hoping that I’d find some new routines this Lent, something that would slow me down and help me smell the flowers, so to speak. I’ve adopted a couple of little disciplines for myself to help me with that refocusing — away from the worldly distractions and closer to God. Some days it goes really well — other days it’s a giant fail. So back to the petunia. I hadn’t noticed it flowered until Wednesday. Maybe it had opened its little bud on Monday or Tuesday and I didn’t see it. I wasn’t looking focused on the moment. But when I did it brought such singular joy in the moment!

Funny how something so simple and yet so precious can elicit such a beautiful response. Religious, really.

And by the way, did you know petunias are from Argentina? No. Kidding.

Then, last night I attended a chamber choir concert. My son knows I love this music, so he reminded me that they were performing the Chichester Psalms:

Of course, I went. And of course it was beautiful, but they caught me by surprise with a selection that charmed me: The Canticle of the Sun by St. Francis of Assisi. Here’s just a little bit of it…

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.

To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

…

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks,
and serve him with great humility.

Nice, huh? I’ll call it a banner week.

Pin It on Pinterest