MISTY'S MORNINGS

First a note: Many of my photos have disappeared from my blog ~ it's not your computer ~ it's mine!  Apparently anything I uploaded using Picasa's "Blog This" button no longer appears.  Slowly I will get them all back up so please be patient and know that I am aware of this problem.  If anyone else has had this problem I welcome any and all advice!   The plaque above was at the Franciscan retreat center in Scottsdale, Arizona.  It spoke to me.  It reminded me that it is really our own choice where we place our thoughts .  We can choose to watch depressing news shows all the time or choose to place ourselves before the "mirror of eternity".  We can engage in negative, complaining discussions or spend time with our soul connecting to the "brilliance of glory".   We can surround ourselves with friends and people whose lives do not reflect our own values and do not inspire us to become more than we already are or we can place our hearts be

Can you guess where I have been?  I had been saying I was going to visit my mother and relatives in Arizona but upon return, I realize I went on vacation .  A real one!  No cooking, no cleaning, no rushing around.  It was heavenly and all thanks to my beautiful mother.  I miss you Mom!   My two year old son was with me while Dad took care of the older two at home.  They had a guys weekend for sure.  Lots of sports to watch and to play together.  They even cleaned the house and did the laundry while I was gone.  Kudos honey! My toddler had four other children his age to visit while in Arizona. I had lots of free time for chatting while they played in the backyard at my cousin's under the orange and grapefruit trees. We were even treated to another delicious version of  Paulie's Salmon .   Smelling the scent of  blooming orange blossoms drifting through a shaded patio while sipping coffee made me deliriously happy!   The desert has a beauty all its own.  I

I am joining with  Gypsymama   for a five minute un-edited free-write. Waking up... As a baby in my pink frilly crib,  as a child in twin bedroom shared with my older sister,  as a teen in my own room,  as a college student sharing a tiny dorm room with a complete stranger,  as a summer camp director in a sleeping bag on the floor of various southern California churches, cockroaches and all,  as a Spanish major traveling through Spain waking up on train cars, in hostels, in the high-floored piso of my host family,  as a married woman in a full sized bed,  as a mom in a king sized bed, often filled with four, even five beloved bodies.     All these cradles have rocked me and I wonder where the future wakings will find me.

For a long time I searched for a ministry of my own.  At first I thought it was through teaching.  And in a way, it was.  I met so many young people and felt I had the opportunity to spread joy to them through learning. When I quit teaching in schools and began a new phase of life as a stay at home mom, I wondered how I would have the opportunity to share my joy with others.   Soon I had two children under two.  I felt like I was a living sacrifice.    Having no relatives in  town and no friends with children of their own I felt completely isolated and removed from ministry of any kind.  Attending church services with two active babies became a dreaded endeavor.    Our church was huge but had no moms groups or women's outreach.   I was a new Catholic and Mary still seemed more of a statue to me than a presence in my life.  Then we moved to a new state.   I prayed fervently to find a friend who would help me feel less alone. The first person I met invited me to a rosary prayer g

Did you see it?  Last night there was a "Super Moon"  - a rare 14% larger view of the full moon.  I missed it.  Had no idea.  But when I awoke before dawn I stepped onto the deck to see a full moon haloed in glowing fog.  This picture is terrible but does reveal the eerie glow surrounding the moon.     Interesting that this lunar event occurred the night before the first day of Spring.  March 20, 2011 is the date of the vernal equinox .  On this date the sun shines directly on the equator resulting in equal day and night for most of the earth.   Spring is a season of transition between winter and summer and so today we officially step away from our season of darkened evenings and wan sunlight and step into the season of warmth and ever-increasing daylight. I read that during this phase the Earth is increasing its tilt toward the sun.  I was struck by the thought that during the season of lent we are all slowly increasing our tilt toward the Lord .  We are tr

Just over one week has passed since we earnestly made our Lenten promises ~ "Lord, in an effort to become more like you I will not... and instead I will..." How's it going?  Have you felt yourself settling into these new practices easily or are they rubbing you like sandpaper?  Worse yet, have you failed a time or two and now decided to simply give up? Throughout the past few years of my own learning to practice Lent I have had all of those reactions.  Giving up coffee one year? Total failure.  Reading more scripture another year - fifty-fifty.  Carrying out my practice this year?  An unbelievable outpouring of God's grace.  Every time I am confronted with the items from which I have chosen to abstain I have felt a little grace moment in my day.  This is not a moment of self-righteous pride as in, "Look at me! I am abstaining and it is hard and I am awesome!"  For the first time during Lent each moment of chosen abstinence has elicited a soul-deep gratit