Monday, October 16, 2006

Calling for Volunteers

I am preparing a questionnaire for University Students and another for high school students. The information used in this questionnaire will be used to help develop a pilot video program that will be aimed at Catholic/Christian teens.

The program will be dealing with areas of interest ranging from topics such as chastity to the difficulty of living one’s faith while still having to live in the world whether home schooled or in a secular schooling situation.

It will not be a very long questionnaire, and will require mostly yes and no answers that need only be circled. There will be a few questions that will require answers of a few sentences or more depending on how much the participate wants to say.

I am looking for volunteers ranging in age from 13 - 21 to answer these questionnaires.

If you know someone who would be interested and willing to commit to answering such a questionnaire please email me, or have them email me at

mycatholicfaith (symbol for at) gmail.com

And depending on the person's preference a questionnaire can be emailed, or mailed to the individual. If mailed, a self addressed envelope will be enclosed for the completed questionnaire to be returned in.

The answers will be private and no names will be used in the pilot and/or scripts developed from the information gathered. Addresses used for mailing questionnaires will not be kept on file or used in any way other than for mailing the questionnaire.
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Honesty!

All seat belts, car seats and booster seats were finally done up, a deep sigh of relief was issued all around the van and then...

6 yr old Tanny Paul: "I need to go to the bathroom!"

4 year old Emma Louise: "I neeeed to go to the bathwooo - WAIT! I alweady went!"

Oh thank you God for that little grain of honesty! That child earned a big kiss and hug! The other one... got to get out, traipse back into the church hall under the guard of two older brothers and... use the Mens Room. Read more!

Powerful thoughts

Many readers wrote to me after I posted about the stress of the past five years. Thank you for the love, concern and favourite prayers that were shared. It was very meaningful and I truly appreciated it. I have tried to write to each person who sent me an email directly. If I have missed anyone - please accept my apologies. In my defense I was ill with a stomach bug and had been for a few days now and so am a bit tired and a little thick between the ears, as my Dad would say. (Slow...)

One reader in particular shared some very powerful thoughts that are deep and quite meaningful, especially when one's goal is to become a Saint. A goal I sometimes misplace, to my shame. Here are his thoughts...

"I wish there were words to say that all will be all right with houses and jobs ... but I don't think this is what God cheered Julian of Norwhich with, in her illness, "all will be well... " is to lean on God in pain, in poverty, in all need, for the joy and inward love to keep plowing a field of stone. I think if we plow that field of stone expecting a harvest that will sustain us, saying I am suffering for thee Lord, so reward me... then we face harder times ... but when we thank God for the stones, we begin to find the small green between them, find what enough is ... and there is hope for untold bounty.

...... But, I also know many find joy in less. I am reminded that the elder rabbi's in Auchwitzs put God on trial literally for breaking the covenant, watching their families murdered - and in the end said, To us it seems God is guilty, the covenant was broken ... and then, they prayed and thanked God. There is where faith is found, to say, I hurt, it is unfair, what next? and by the way, dearly and deeply from the bottom of my soul, thank thee Lord for all I have grant me strength in thee if not understanding of thy ways."

Thank you Lor.
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Sorry - it wasn't in the wedding contract!

(While trying on her Charlie Chaplin costume)

"Mummy could you tie this tie for me?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to tie a tie."

"What? How can you be a WIFE and not know how to tie a tie..."

Ooops, I must have missed that lesson when preparing for married life! Read more!

Sam! What are you doing there?

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?
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HELP!

On Friday, I was finally able to complete and post a good schedule for us to follow for school. It looked realistic, covered all the subjects and remembered we need to eat as well as study. It was bright and colourful with large enough print that we can see it from across the room. It is even unusual in that it is made of index cards taped together.

But it does not have any spots on it scheduled for:
Blowing nose(s)
Running to the bathroom repeatedly times several children
Stopping to take mega doses of Vitamin C
Looking for the Zicam
Looking for Tylenol for acking backs and necks
blowing noses again...
console grumpy, crying toddlers and preschoolers who are just too ill to be nice to anyone

It is only 8:27 and the schedule is already shot so I think I will just... go back to bed and start over?

In the meantime, please keep mum2twelve's gang in your prayers while we do battle with a host of germs and viruses that have invaded the household, overnight it seems! Read more!

Could I say No to God's face?

Hearing God's directive Moses replied:

"O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."

The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." (Exodus 4:10-13)


When we hit that passage in bible study on Sunday morning, I thought to myself, "Wow, imagine seeing God FACE to FACE?! Hearing his voice as clear as one of my children calling to me, or my husband chatting with me. Could I say 'NO, I can't Lord.' to HIS FACE?"

I wondered if I could possibly doubt my ability to do what He was asking me, while standing on Holy Ground seeing Him, GOD, in front of me? Wouldn't I, if God was speaking to me directly assume He would give me all I needed, to do what he wanted of me.

Then I thought about how I daily tell Him.... NO.

Each and everytime I complain about my crosses, I am saying;
" No God, I don't think I can do it. I don't think I can complete this errand you are giving me. I don't want this job - please give it to someone else. "

I think instead of sighing and saying I can't do this anymore Lord, I will try to just ask for help.

"Help me o' Lord. My cross is becoming heavy and I am afraid I will drop it. I feel as though I am falling. Send me the graces not to fall, to not drop my cross! Thank you for hearing me Jesus, thank you for helping. I know you are there Lord because you promised me you would be!"

'Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Mathew 11:29-30


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