Inspiration Strikes!

  Last night, our Homeschool group had our yearly Mass and dinner with the Bishop.  I was dragging my feet about going with the usual excuses: too much to do, tired, not feeling well, etc.  Guilt set in and at the last minute we decided to get ready and go.  It was a grace filled evening and it was such a privilege to spend it with my fellow homeschoolers.  I am so, so glad I went:)  The Bishop spoke passionately about The Year of Faith and the "New Evangelization."   I left the meeting inspired by the Bishop's words and my fellow Homeschoolers passion for their faith.  I am going to be taking advantage of the abundance of on-line resources, as well as my resources here at home (which are often neglected).  I will be sharing my Religious Education links and lesson plans over the next few weeks.  Have a blessed weekend...

Life is like a box of chocolates...

My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Forrest Gump



  When I first converted to Catholicism 23 years ago I was so excited to "give something up" for my first season of Lent.  I was 19 years old and living at home at the time with my single mom and my two younger siblings who were still in High School.  My conversion came as kind of a shock.  Our family wasn't particularly religious and to be perfectly honest my behavior in my youth was a far cry from the saintly musings of Terese.  It was more like the conversion of Saint Augustine.  Although I wouldn't say I live up to those particular standards either.  I am fairly positive that my family thought I was going through a bad phase.  It was the 80's and there were many of them.  Take for instance mullets...or glam metal.  Thankfully, it wasn't.  I was eager to share my new faith with my family and hoping, secretly, to evangelize to them.  The opportunity presented itself in a piece of chocolate.  My family member graciously offered to share some with me and I proudly announced : "I can't. I am giving it up for Lent."  At this point, I cant remember which family member it was but I do remember what their reply was.  "What does giving up chocolate have to do with Jesus?"  I flailed around trying to explain how it was about sacrifice...fish...and...I lost them.  Blah, blah, blah.  There were two things I learned that day.  One, it is never prudent to follow the crowd.  Growing up I saw Catholics giving up chocolate and eating fish on Fridays during Lent.  I did not take ownership of my own spirituality.  Dumb.  Two, there is a famous quote by Einstein that reminds me of this situation.  I am paraphrasing here but it goes something like "If you can't explain it simply you really don't understand it yourself."  I was new to the faith and there was a definite learning curve there.  So friends, let me explain to you what giving up chocolate has to do with Lent.  It doesn't.  My spiritual misstep forced me to educate myself in order to evangelize in a more effective way.  Let me tell you what I wish I would have said:  "Lent is a time of prayer fasting and alms giving where we try to imitate our Lord.  Traditionally forty days is a time for discipline, devotion, and preparation.  Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert to prepare himself for his passion.  The climax of our church is Good Friday(the crucifixion) and Easter Sunday (the Resurrection).  It is a sacred time in our church year that Catholics use to shed bad habits and focus COMPLETELY on Christ.  Whatever you give up for Lent should be done with the intention that it draws you closer to Him.  I am giving up...(insert anything but chocolate here) in order to imitate Christ.  Does that answer your question?" 

Saint Teresa of Avila

Saint Teresa of Alvia

Born: March 28, 1515, Alvia

Died: October 4, 1582, Alba de Tormes

Bookmark of Saint Teresa of Alvia:

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing;
God only is changeless.
Patience gains all things.
Who has God wants nothing.
God alone suffices.

Today is the feast day for Saint Teresa of Alvia.  The month of October has so many wonderful feast days that  it has been hard for me to keep up with.  Which is a good problem to have.  We are starting to acquire a good number of resources for the kids at the house.  The internet has  some amazing sights that can help too.  One of the ones I love is Charlotte at Waltzing Matilda.  She has coloring pages for most of the feast days.  You also need to check out Catholic Cuisine!  One of the contributers, Jessica, is a constant source of inspiration.  She is a second generation homeschooler.  Be prepared to feel completely inadequate;)

I like quotes and have a whole book of them.  Here are a few of Saint Teresa's more famous ones from Brainy Quote:

Be gentle to all and stern with yourself. 

The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too. 

To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that. 

We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us. 

Pain is never permanent. (***need to remember this***) 

Our body has this defect that, the more it is provided care and comforts, the more needs and desires it finds. 

There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers. 

God has been very good to me, for I never dwell upon anything wrong which a person has done, so as to remember it afterwards. If I do remember it, I always see some other virtue in that person. 

To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience. 

God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but permit them to do their work until divinely called to something higher. 

I do not fear Satan half so much as I fear those who fear him. 

It is here, my daughters, that love is to be found - not hidden away in corners but in the midst of occasions of sin. And believe me, although we may more often fail and commit small lapses, our gain will be incomparably the greater. 

All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted. 

O my God, what must a soul be like when it is in this state! It longs to be all one tongue with which to praise the Lord. It utters a thousand pious follies, in a continuous endeavor to please Him who thus possesses it. 

The tree that is beside the running water is fresher and gives more fruit. 

Sacred Saturday

"I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully."  1 Timothy 5:14

For once--summer hasn't turned our lives upside down!

This {Thankful} Thursday we received some really, really good news.  We will, for the time being, get to switch Willow's therapy to our home.  Her therapists are amazing at Tulsa Sunshine Center but all of us (except Willow;) have begun to dread Thursdays.  It is difficult to get five kids to her appointments on time and sitting in the waiting room for two hours and forty five minutes with three boys (9,5, and 6 months) isn't exactly fun.  Tiana is the only one who is able to work with her during that time and she does enjoy it but it is still hectic getting out the door.  It is a sacrifice we all make because we love her and we know that it is what she needs.  It was time for a change.  I haven't been able to participate in her therapy for a long time because I can't come alone and her younger siblings would be too distracting in the room with her.  That being said, knowing that I am going to have company has put a fire under me to get this house under control!  We repainted her room and organized things for easy access.  The BIGGEST accomplishment happened today.  We completely redid our office with the help of my in-laws and I have my first official --drum roll please-- Homeschool room!  It is amazing.  I took all of our curriculum, manipulatives, and art supplies and made a space for all of us.  I can't wait for her therapists to see what we have set up for us them.  All of the kids were playing in the room and looking at all of the books and supplies.  It was like Christmas. The "piece de resistance" is a hutch that I bought at a garage sale last month for $25 bucks that has become my new manipulative center. You can't even by the lumber for that!  I was wanting to do a "Miss Mustard Seed" style makeover before we used it but it is function over fashion for the time being.  We also hung shelves SUPER HIGH over the big desk we have the the room.  That way the art supplies are close but can't easily be grabbed.  The hope is it will keep Willow from completely destroying the room minimize messes. Anyway  I am super excited about getting started next week.  The prayer rhythm in our home this summer has been wonderful and the structure has been good for all of us.  This has been the most amazing summer.  You know that book I told you about?  I think I might just try to write it.  

Wishful Wednesday--Summer Rhythm

I wish that...

I would have done this years ago.  This summer, we have established a prayer rhythm that has eluded me for 11 years.  Our family dynamics are more than a little unique.  I don't have any parenting books out there for me like: "How to Manage Homeschooling, a Home, Therapy, and a Large Family with Two Autistic Kids...Without Losing Your Mind!"  If anyone knows about this book please email me;)  Unfortunately, it is trial and error.  It  has been a slow process and we have made some pretty big decisions that have allowed us to establish our summer schedule.  The first and most difficult was not to put Willow in ESY(extended school year).  I knew that I needed to have her home and simplify our life.  She is obviously the most difficult to manage, so this was my biggest area of concern.  Managing Willow on a daily basis is no small task.  She is sweet but she can be so, well, um...messy:(  The second was to revolve our day around prayer and fill in the gaps with schoolwork and activities.  Not vice-versa.  This is the change that is bearing the most fruit.  I resisted temptation to bite off more than I could chew and we did things slowly and added them one at a time.  For example, the first prayer we added was the Angelus.  I set my alarm on my iphone and the kids knew when they heard the church bells ringing it was time to pray.  Right afterwards we do a lesson from the Baltimore Catechism and do our daily scripture memorization.  We do the same scripture all week, until the know it by heart.  After that we do lunch, quiet time, and then start getting the house ready for Dads arrival.     We eat, clean up, do a family Rosary and get ready for bed.  This week we have added adoration Monday afternoons and daily Mass.  Willow has been nothing short of inspiring and the kids are thriving. I am planning on separate posts on both of Mass and Adoration.  Both were amazing.  God has been blessing us abundantly this summer.  Hope you are doing well too.
Blessings,
Tosha

Sacred Saturday

We spent the day at my father's farm, Sunset hill.  I took 167 photos (Mamarazzi Monday;).  It was amazing.  It gave our family some much needed rest.  Everyone was so happy.  Especially Willow.  Some things are difficult to describe in words because they are...sacred.

Music...

Prayer...

Silence...

She loves nature...

so very, very much.

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.

Mother Teresa

Thankful Thursday

1.  My Faith
2. My long marriage
3. My children
4. Godly friends
5. Autism 
6. My family
7. Blogs
8. Coffee
9.  My Grandma Wise who took me to church every summer and planted seeds of faith.
10. My Grandma Audrey who taught me to take pride in being a stay-at-home mommy.