"The Art of Giving" - Giving Back Through Cross Catholic (dot) org

Cross Catholic, works to feed, help and support the poverty stricken families of Honduras. Thanks to fellow blogger, Jennifer of Catholic Inspired, I became aware of this wonderful opportunity for us, who have so much, to give back to those in need. It's my pleasure to have been asked to join several awesome bloggers in sharing and promoting the "Art of Giving ' - a Cross Catholic.org project we can all, in good conscience, support!

So How Can I Participate in The Art of Giving?

To easily help the impoverished of Honduras:
1. Your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, students are asked to draw/color/create an art project.
2. The grownups to scan (or take a photo) of the art and email the image to Cross Catholic:
mpotter@crosscatholic.org.

3. The good folks at Cross Catholic take it from there by uploading all submitted artwork to an online slide show. This fund raising effort will run from now until December 31, 2013.

How Can I Donate to Cross Catholic?

Once the image has been uploaded onto the slideshow, parents, family members and friends can make donations on behalf of the child's artwork to Cross Catholic Outreach. Simply mention the child's name in the comment box when you make your donation. These donations will be used to feed impoverished children and families in El Progreso, Honduras at the Prince of Peace Nutrition Center. A generous 94.8% of your donation goes to the needy - there is very little overhead.

Who can submit artwork to Cross Catholic?

Art projects will be accepted from kids of all ages - from toddlers to teens! This would really be a great project for homeschooling families, teachers and religious education teachers or parents who want to teach their children the spirit of giving! Youth groups could participate in "The Art of Giving" as a service project, as well.

Where is the Slideshow?

1.View the slideshow at Cross Catholic's site

2. View the slideshow on Flickr

3. OR view the slideshow here:

Please, keep in mind that this web page is still a work in progress - as more and more submissions are made. To better understand the event, check out the Cross Catholic website and the slideshow may or may not be visible on your computer. In an effort to resolve this issue, Cross Catholic will be adding a link to the page for those who can't view the slideshow.

You'll Have the Opportunity to Link-up Too!

Please visit next week when those of us on the blogging team will be posting our children’s art and inviting all bloggers to join in a link-up to share the art that their kids have created for this event! We look forward to viewing YOUR children's, grandchildren's and/or classes' artwork as well, as we support the efforts of the selfless individuals at Cross Catholic who help our Central American brothers and sisters!

Who are the Hosting Bloggers?

Please be sure to give the hosting blogs some love. There, you will find many inspirational posts:

Jennifer from Catholic Inspired
Pete from The Catholic Book Blogger
Jen from Enter Under My Roof
Chris from Campfires and Cleats
Monica from Equipping Catholic Families
Birgit from Designs By Birgit
Jen from Happy Little Homemaker
Nancy from Do Small Things with Love
All of the above blogs are publicizing Cross Catholic's herculean efforts to help the needy!

Veils and an Advent Veiling Blog Link-up

Before Thanksgiving preparations for much of our extended family sweeps me away, I wanted to let you know about a wonderful cyberspace event in which I am participating. It's the Advent Veil Link-up and Giveaway and as the name implies, we'll be offering 1.) opportunities to read blog posts about veiling, 2.) a place for you to link your own veiling posts, and 3.) the chance to win one of several veils to be given away during Advent. This is your advance warning, so stay tuned and don't miss out!

As someone who hasn't been veiling that long, I've written about my discernment and research on starting this discipline, a veiling meditation using the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, and a veiling update answering a few questions that arose from my first post. There was also a recent post entitled, Interior Disposition: Why Fix Your Hair, If You're Wearing a Veil?, which spotlighted how I feel about my motivation for veiling.

And in case you're wondering, my adult daughter and I are the only two ladies who veil at our small rural parish - except for the occasional visiting veiler. There's also a very informal and most unscientific poll being conducted by my dear husband, and loyal supporter. He travels for work frequently and always reports back to me about the veiling habits of parishes throughout the country. From his encounters and from what I read in the blogosphere, I have noted a slow, but consistent trend toward veiling all over the country.

So here we are, at the point of this post where I tell you a few details.

This is the veil being given away by Veil Designs by Birgit!

• The Advent Veiling Link-up and Giveaway will begin on December 2nd, the first Monday of Advent.

• So you don't have a lot of time to get busy and write your post so that you'll be ready when the linky goes live! This will be a fantastic opportunity to drive traffic to your blog as well as reading thoughts about veiling from others.

• The time frame for the Advent Veil Giveaway will be announced soon and includes five veils to be given away throughout Advent.

• Stay with us throughout the season of Advent for the opportunity to read more posts as they are linked up and to win veils as each participant holds her individual entry opportunity and random drawing. 

Enter to win one of my veils here:

 Rafflecopter giveaway  

Follow this link to Veil Designs by Birgit to see some of the veils available for sale.

Sanctity of LIFE Sunday - #4

Cancer and pregnancy - you don't often see them in the same sentence - but it does happen. One brave lady dealt with it in a unique way...
This coming Thursday, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. As pro-life advocates, we recognize our need to be thankful to God our Creator for our lives. We also keep in mind all of the mothers who, even during difficult circumstances, chose to give the gift of life to their children. One such mother is our daughter, Erika, who was diagnosed with BRCA-1 breast cancer at 20 weeks pregnant. She was only 28 years old, and the youngest diagnosis in an unbroken maternal line. Local doctors gave no acceptable options, but MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX guided her through chemotherapy during pregnancy.

As is her character, Erika made the best of what was happening and painted her belly to resemble a turkey. Her healthy (Butterball) daughter, Rachel, was born on Thanksgiving Day - her daddy's birthday. We have much for which to be thankful, but this is an especially dear topic of gratitude. You may read more of this amazing journey here: Bald, Pregnant and Living

Rachel will be turning 4 this year and Erika is cancer free!

As always, feel free to share any of my pro-life posters. Many of them can be found on the Designs by Birgit fan page on Facebook.

In His Name for Life,

Birgit J

"Keep Christ in Christmas" Link-up - Share Your Advent!

Want to launch your Advent, focused on JESUS?

Want to share your ideas for keeping Christ in CHRISTmas?

.

Then join us for
Keep Christ in CHRISTmas !

Welcome! I'm really excited to be a part of this group effort to Keep Christ in CHRISTmas. It's an honor to be one of the eight hostesses - this is an awesome group of bloggers. I hope you'll visit each post - they all have a wonderful way with words!

Now let's get to the details of the Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Link-up:

What's the Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Blog Link-up?

A blog link-up is an opportunity to write a blog post, on the same theme as others, and exponentially increase readership for all involved. Participating this year is great way to spread the message of Keeping Christ in CHRISTmas!

Would you like to share what your family is doing for Advent this year? Then join us in the 2nd Annual Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Blog Link-Up 2013.

Optional: You'll also have the chance to sign up for the Follow Frenzy which will drive more traffic (and worthwhile comments) to your blog - as you do the same for others.

What's the Follow Frenzy?

If you choose to participate in this option, you'll commit to visiting and leaving meaningful comments on 20 different blog posts that are part of the Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Blog Link-Up 2013(and receiving 20 meaningful comments on your own blogpost in return!)

This link-up is open to all bloggers, particularly Catholics and Christians of all denominations who observe ADVENT. You may write about anything that pertains to the blog theme, e.g. share tips on how you and your family keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas; stories to encourage others to do so; books and activities (even recipes!) that help you focus on Jesus throughout Advent.

How Can  I Participate?

1. Register by filling out the registration form no later than Thursday, November 28, 2013 - Thanksgiving Day.

2. Write your blog post on the theme, "Keeping CHRIST in CHRISTmas" in the first week of ADVENT and publish the blog post on December 1 or 2, 2013. When you fill out the form we will send you with the direct URL link to your blog post, no later than December 2, 2013 at noon(EST).

3. You will receive the complete list of blog post links by 3pm on December 2, 2013 (EST) for you to add at the bottom of your post. Please make sure to do this in fairness to all of the other hard-working bloggers.

Add this button to your post.

4. Make sure that you include this button (created by Monica) at the beginning of your post...

AND the following introduction along with the hostesses' info:

"I’m participating in the KEEP CHRIST in CHRISTmas Blog Link-Up 2013, hosted by:

Monica at Equipping Catholic Families 

Erika at Raising Little Saints 

Tina at Truly Rich Mom 

Laura at Day by Day in Our World 

Sarah at On the Way Home 2 

Allison at Totus Tuus Family  

Chris at Campfires and Cleats 

Birgit at Designs by Birgit (that's me) 

We'll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus our Advent and Christmas on JESUS!

Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of link-up entries.”

Finally, friends - please bear in mind that the Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Blog Link-Up 2013 is much more impressive and easily promoted if we can coordinate all the posts going live around the same time. By launching this Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Link-up in the first week of Advent…we hope to help families focus their Advent and anticipation of Christmas…before the hectic craziness of Christmas takes over.

So Here's a Re-cap of Important Stuff

1. Use this REGISTRATION FORM to register your blog by November 28, 2013

2. Publish your blog post on December 1 or 2, 2013. (No later than December 2 at noon EST).

3. Send in the URL to your blog post for the link-up (by filling out the LINK FORM we will send you) as soon as you publish your blog post, no later than December 2 at noon EST.

4. You will receive a final list of link-up participants as soon as it is available on December 2nd. Add the list of link-up participants to the end of your blog post by December 2, 5pm.

OPTIONAL FOLLOW FRENZY:

5. Specify in the registration form that you intend to participate in the FOLLOW FRENZY.

6. You will receive your list of blogs to visit on December 2, 2013.

7. Visit, leave meaningful comments and hopefully subscribe or follow 20 newly discovered Blogs by December 9, 2013.

PLEASE NOTE: Kindly write about the theme provided. We do not moderate or screen posts but we do reserve the right to exclude your entry from the list of link-up participants should your post be offensive, irrelevant to the link-up theme, contain personal attacks, off-topic articles, articles that are anti-Christ or are articles aimed to market products or services.

Thank you very much for joining the carnival!!

Let's all help spread the word on Keeping CHRIST in CHRISTmas!

Meatless Friday: Tantalizingly Tasty Tuna Salad

It's time to share another recipe from our meatless Friday menu. This time it's an easy, rich tuna salad that lends itself well to sandwiches or scooped onto a bed of lettuce. Packed full of veggies and other good things, this is kid friendly and healthy. It's also low carb, if served without bread.

Tantalizingly Tasty Tuna Salad

2-3 cans of Tuna - I prefer albacore because it's flaky, not mushy
1/2 celery heart
1 small red onion
1 small apple
6-8 dill pickle spears
1 avocado
1 hard boiled egg
4 T Hellman's mayo (not low fat)
1/2 t Lawry's seasoned salt
1/4 t coarse ground pepper

Drain tuna well and place in bowl. Chop items 2-4. I use my handy dandy Max, which is a mini food processor, and chop all of the vegetables, the apple, and the pickles. Place in bowl as you go. Cut avocado into chunks and add to bowl. Peel and chop egg and add. Next add mayo, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. This can be served immediately or chilled for later use. The flavors permeate well, when this dish is stored, so tastes at least as good if served the next day.

NOTE: I use the same ingredients for a hearty, creamy chicken salad. Just add chicken instead of tuna and 1/4 t of curry.

A Rapist's Parental Rights

I'll bet you're thinking, 'what parental rights'? How could someone who perpetuates the heinous crime of rape have rights to anything? Sadly, in this troubled world of ours, the 'rest of the story' does more than make you shake your head in disbelief. As someone who was victim of this crime- and a resulting pregnancy - I can't even imagine the horror of having the very core of your being taken from you and then being forced into a legal battle with the perpetrator and his perverted idea of 'paternity'. Yet, in 31 states, that's exactly what happens. From the website of 31 States:

It is estimated that there are between 25,000 and 32,000 rape-related pregnancies annually in the United States. - (HR 2772)

Unbelievably, 31 states allow the criminal to pursue his victim and her innocent child in an attempt to remain forever in their lives. This is simply unconscionable!

Through brave souls who have fought this battle, both on their own behalf or on the behalf of others, a feature length documentary, 31 States, is planned for release during the summer of 2014. The website tells us, "31 States is the story of women across America who have been raped, conceived from that rape, gave birth and then had to fight their rapist in court for custody of their rape conceived child. In addition to the personal stories, this film explores the lack of legal protection afforded to these women in 31 States".

In traveling across the nation for interviews with those best equipped to detail this travesty, they hope to create awareness of this repugnant situation and encourage the public to work toward real change. That's where you and I come in. Did you know about this horrendous miscarriage of justice? I didn't. If you, like me, are scandalized by the notion, please share this post and plan to attend the documentary when it comes out. Tell your friends, to stay abreast of relevant news, and most importantly - pray for these women and the children they so unselfishly chose to bear and protect.

Sanctity of LIFE Sunday - #3

Are you smarter than a 4-year-old?

While this question may appear facetious on the surface, remember there are pro-abortion people out there who try to convince others that an unborn child is nothing more than a blob of tissue. Sadly, some frightened women fall for this rhetoric, have an abortion, and live the rest of their lives in regret. On one particular day, I was looking through some developmental photos on my computer. Four-year old Sarah walked up, looked at the photo and said, 'awww, what a cute little baby!'. In her childish innocence, she easily saw the truth. So, as pro-life advocates, we need to help people take the scales from their eyes and see the obvious truth - with honest eyes like those of a child.

As always, feel free to share any of my pro-life posters. Many of them can be found on the Designs by Birgit fan page on Facebook.

In His Name for Life,

Birgit J

Sanctity of LIFE Sunday - #2

And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth.

~Genesis 1:28

Much compassion is directed toward our animal friends these days. In and of itself, that is as it should be. After all, we have a moral obligation to treat our animal companions well. A cause for concern, however, arises when a world plagued with inhumanity to vulnerable people, disproportionately elevates animals - above the unborn, infirm and aged. While kindness should extend to our animal friends, those who care for them and bemoan their dire circumstances - all the while ignoring the plight of the unborn - fall far from righteousness. All things in proportionate measure...

Don't be a Cafeteria Prolifer

Whether reading the Declaration of Independence or the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), one point is saliently clear - each human being has an intrinsic right to life. This right is an absolute - we all have the right to life, period. There are no caveats - there is no 'but' - this God-given right simply is. Why then, do we consistently find delineations made according to age or who one is? As I mentioned in a previous post, we in the prolife movement have been operating under an incremental assumption for 40 years now. Incrementalism, however, is a faulty premise in that it assigns varying degrees of importance to classes of people - according to some criterion or another.

"Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being." ~CCC 2258

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." (The Declaration of Independence)

Who are We to Pick and Choose the Worthiness of Life?

So what are the criteria de jour? Lately, it's been fashionable to be prolife by expounding the desire to save the unborn if they are more than 20 weeks of gestational age. Seeing politicians, whose voting records are far from genuinely prolife, speak of a national law protecting this group of babies seems rather disingenuous to me. What we're saying, in essence, is that a baby who is 19.5 weeks in gestational age is expendable for now - let's just save the more mature ones. That way we can appear prolife without the pain of sticking to the hard line. I may seem to be promoting a purist form of prolife belief, but let's look at the whole picture. Who are we leaving out? To begin with, we're excluding the younger babies - those who are under the 20 week gestational age. Next, we're also leaving out those 'exception babies' - you know, the ones who were conceived in rape or incest or the ones who are conveniently portrayed as a 'danger' to the health of the mother.

Is it the Capability of Feeling or the Life That Matters?

Recent politically acceptable scientific studies indicate that the unborn feel pain at around 20 weeks. Yet, we've all seen videos and read articles about much younger unborn babies squirming away from touch stimuli. But is that really even the point at all? What if someone doesn't feel - pain or anything else? Are they less worthy of saving? I think back to my brother-in-law, Jeff. A swimming accident rendered him a quadriplegic at the tender age of 16. Did he deserve to be 'allowed to die' as was suggested by some? He couldn't feel anything above his neck - but he certainly cherished every moment of life. Does my husband's 98 year old grandmother 'deserve' to live? She is in a state of dementia leaving her a fragile shell of her former self. The prayers, songs, and antics of her great-great-grandchildren still find her smiling and clapping - but alas, only occasionally. But who's to say she doesn't have the 'right' to stay with us as long as God wills it?

What we are seeing is a dumbing down of our sensibilities - our consciences are being numbed. Once artificial lines of deserving life are drawn, we're not far from sliding ever deeper down the rabbit hole. The black and white of this issue is simple - life is worthwhile as long as God deems it so. Any deviation from this absolute puts us on the wrong end of judgment - a judgment that isn't ours to make.

Are Aborted Babies Saints in Heaven?

“Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he shall not enter the  kingdom of heaven” (Jn 3:5).

 As Catholic Christians we are gravely aware of the necessity of the sacraments for Eternal Salvation. The first, and therefore, most important early sacrament is Baptism - the washing away of the Original Sin handed down by our First Parents. As Catholic parents, we are admonished by Holy Mother Church, to avail our children of this cleansing Sacrament as early in a child's life as possible. Yet, we've all heard of the tragedies of early infant loss or abortion and can't help but wonder what happens to these unsanctified souls. What becomes of the child who is aborted or miscarried before Baptism? Surely there is some consoling answer for these innocents, whose parents had no opportunity to have them Baptized?

Three Types of Baptism

We are taught that there are three types of Baptism. 1). Baptism by water – using the formulaic prayer, ‘I baptize you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'. 2). Baptism by blood - as in the case of someone martyred for the Faith, and 3). Baptism of desire - the cleansing received by a soul who, although planning to be baptized, dies before that act can be completed. We also find a caveat to Baptism of desire: if an individual is innocently unaware of God and is provided the grace to make an act of Faith in a provident God, that person’s soul will be cleansed of Original Sin.

With God All Things are Possible

As the grandmother of five babies who were lost by miscarriage, I have faith that our righteous God provides a just outcome for these babies. By extension, I have faith of the same for babies who die from abortion. He, Himself has said that He 'knows us each by name' before we are born. If we subscribe to the belief that each human soul is given an opportunity to accept or reject God, then I firmly believe our answer lies in such a conviction. After all, these innocents have committed no Actual Sin. For a God who is Eternal, timeless, why would it be a stretch to conceive Him meeting these children at the hour of their death and giving them a choice? According to our poor human terms, they are ill equipped to make such an eternal decision, at so tender an age – but in meeting with their Maker, who are we to say that a mature choice can’t be made?

While no firm, detailed Dogma has been pronounced for our consolation, a certain amount of comfort can be found in this simple faith. God wants what is good for all of His Children. My heart rests easy, in a childlike faith and hope, that He has made just accommodations for these little ones. After all, they found themselves at the mercy of a loving God.

NOTE: A more in-depth treatment of this topic can be found in "The Fate of Unbaptized Infants: Christian Hope and Christian Realism" - which was the inspiration for my post.

Sanctity of Life Sunday - #1

November 3, 2013

There are some things in life that are so obvious, that it's hard to wrap your head around the idea that some people just don't get it. Abortion is one of those things. In this day and age, the scientific misconceptions have been clarified. No honest person can seriously say they don't know the biological facts - the facts have been discovered and shared for all to see. 

If you're in the pro-LIFE fight for the long haul, consider sharing some of these Pro-LIFE Designs by Birgit memes with your friends. There are about 200 of them - and counting. Let's step up, together, and cultivate a Culture of LIFE - one heart at a time.

PS. I'm always looking for new baby photos and quotes to consider. Should you have an idea you'd like to share, please send in an email to Designs by Birgit.

Random Acts of Blessing

A blog post I recently read about parenting really resonated with me. The suggestion I took to heart was to look at your children and say 'I love you' with your eyes. Here was definitely a concept worth trying - and it was like magic! Those little eyes staring back at me said, "I love you" right back. The loving interactions between us increased exponentially - it became my secret super power. Not willing to leave well enough alone, I made an effort to try my new found skill on others. After all, haven't we been inundated with pleadings to love in scripture verses, parables, and gems of wisdom from our parents?

Forgive Us Our Trespasses, as we Forgive

You see, I have accumulated a lifetime of little regrets - things that I could have, should have done differently. That grouchy waitress, the rude clerk, the driver who cut me off - I have felt smugly irate. But then, like a clap of thunder, it hit me. When I'm the one at fault, I make excuses. I'm having a bad day, the kids are distracting, I didn't mean to - it's so easy to explain when it's me. Mea Culpa! If I'm so willing to rationalize my faults, why should I not do the same for others? Why not assume the best, instead of the worst?

Whatever You Do to the Least of These

When we begin to look at others with the eyes of God's love, when we see them from the inside out - that's when we are living the Gospel. Over and over, we are told to love others as we love ourselves. The Beatitudes, alone, speak volumes of this type of compassion and love. God loves us all - bumps included. He doesn't care if we're educated, successful, beautiful, or accomplished. What He cares about is something we, humans, can't see - the immortal soul of each of His creatures.

Performing Random Acts of Blessing

So what are we to take away from these thoughts? What's the point of these ponderings? It all began with that silent look of "I love you" and bringing it to the world around me. Looking at others from the inside out, helps me to focus on the love God feels for us all. What he sees is one of His creatures - not the unkempt hair, questionable clothing, or frantic mind - He sees someone He loves. If I am to live like Him, then I must look inside too - seeing the humanity, yes, but more importantly - seeing the eternal soul.

When I see someone who appears unattractive (looks, attitude, behavior), I give them an "I love you smile". It's become a habit - slowly - to whisper a little internal prayer for them. "Jesus, please bless this person, whom I almost judged just now". I know that He loves us all, maybe the more difficult ones are loved even more. Memories of a quip from my mother come to mind, "when a teenager is the least lovable, that's when they need the most love". We have to wonder how many times our Father in Heaven has felt that way about us.

Transforming Your Love a Little at a Time

A little bit of kindness can go a long way. Now, whenever I encounter a stranger - especially one who looks particularly harsh - I silently bless them. When I encounter a home brandishing the rainbow flag of the United States, I offer a silent prayer for the occupants. When I'm feeling particularly impatient with little voices, who insistently call my name, I stop, look into their eyes and silently say, 'I love you'. I'm not always successful, but success is my goal. The bonus is, sometimes we really do receive in return, that which we give. And if we don't? St. Josemaria Escriva said it beautifully:

Don't say: "that person gets on my nerves". Think: "that person sanctifies me".

There are so many examples in the lives of the saints. These little random acts of blessing can become like St. Theresa's 'little way' - one person at a time. Just think of the possibilities of spreading the wealth of God's love with everyone we encounter. What a beautiful community of God's love we could build! So let's all join together in performing random acts of blessing. In return, we will be ones who are blessed.

St. Michael the Archangel Costume for Catholic Boys

A shield, halo, and cross to be added.

Our two boys are always outnumbered by the girls and their flurry of 'princessy' dress-up clothes and accessories. Preparation for a faith-filled celebration of All Hallows Eve was the perfect opportunity to make this right. Five year old Simon decided to dress as St. Michael the Archangel. He has a real affinity for the warrior angel and often asks to say the prayer throughout the day. I looked around the house and found odds and ends - and the rest was trial and error along the way.

Fabric

If you sew at all - or really if you don't (a rough version would work as well) this is a fun project for you and your young man.

I searched in my fabric remnants and found some that had the weight and color for my vision. If you'll notice, some depictions of St. Michael are very colorful and some are monochromatic - the choice is yours. I actually used the 'wrong' side of some fabric I had handy, to get the desired color and texture.

Construction

Next, cut a piece of fabric double the desired length of the tunic- this will depend on the size of your child. Then, fold it in half and lay child's t-shirt onto it to make a rough pattern - including attached short sleeves. Allowing for seams, mark with chalk and cut out.

Sew together at the shoulder and along the sides. If you desire a more finished look, fold over the edges of the neck and sleeves for a small hem.

Measure 5" from bottom and draw a horizontal chalk line to mark the fringed edges. Starting at the center bottom, I used a 1" wide ruler with a rounded edge to mark my cutting line, using a fine sharpie, and then cut on the lines - leaving a bit more at each side.

Accessorizing and Painting Fun

• Chain Mail - Non-skid rug pad or rubberized shelf liner

• Belt or fabric for sash

• Sweats and long sleeved t-shirt

• Helmet or hat 

• Foam sword

• Wings - Fan blades, woven wicker fan decorations, or cardboard and natural coffee filters. Will also need elastic to create a suspender type harness.

• Cross - Glitter foam, washer, and chain.

Cut a hole out of the rug pad or shelf liner, to fit his head and rounded the corners. Viola! Chain mail for the warrior angel!

We used a belt and made a suspender-like system out of elastic to create a harness for wearing the wings.

Brown sweat pants and a neutral, long-sleeved t-shirt are a great choice for undergarments - he'll wear brown leather sandals when he goes out.

The helmet was from another time and was spray painted and then we glued a cross to the front. We made a halo with gold pipe cleaners and attached with a paper clip. The sword (made of foam) was purchased at Joanne's Fabrics and slightly spray painted at the hilt. There are also ways to make helmets out of cardboard on Pinterest.

The wings are actually blades from a broken decorative outdoor fan, but you could find woven fan decorations or use cardboard for wings as well. One of the ideas I saw on Pinterest was to use natural (brown) coffee filters stapled to cardboard wings. There are several ways to attach your St. Michael's wings. Use elastic, safety pins or wire coat hangers made into shoulder hooks - depending on the material.

The cross is cut out of yellow glitter foam, which can be purchased in sheets. We also made a cross for the sword and helmet. I hot glued a Popsicle stick to strengthen the cross and a washer to serve as a loop for the chain, onto the back of the cross. The chain can be purchased at hobby lobby.

You can also check out my Costumes and Dress-Up board on Pinterest for other inspirations.

That Burnished Look

I took the helmet, sword, tunic and chain mail outside and spray painted with a burnished bronze paint made to adhere to plastic. It was left over from painting children's plastic lawn chairs last summer - I hate those bright colors and this matches my patio furniture. Spraying an even coat isn't necessary because you want a worn look.

A Few Final Touches

The final costume is awesome!

I wanted to post this as soon as I could, so that it might be helpful to others who are looking for a St. Michael the Archangel costume. There will be some finishing touches added during the next few days. 

• Shield - will probably be made of cardboard and painted with the same paint.

• Halo - Simon insists he wants a halo, so I'll be making one with gold pipe cleaners, poking holes in his helmet and hot gluing it on.

• Cross - using a sheet of red glittery foam, I'll make a cross for either his shield or the tunic. There might also be some glow in the dark effects added with puff paint with those capabilities.

NOTE

I'll be adding photos of the completed costume as they happen - please stay tuned.

Follow me on Pinterest and Facebook for more Catholic, pro-LIFE, creativity.

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Don't Kill Babies to Save My Life!

What a relief! The PINK month is almost over. Amid all of the superficiality -  pink football teams, toilet paper, blenders, and every other imaginable product of commerce - lies an undeniable fact. The PINK lulls the masses into misguided, yet enthusiastic support for death. Yes, death. What they don't tell you, these opportunistic marketeers, is that it's all about the money - even if it's blood money. As an eight year survivor (happy Cancerversary to me!) I have earned the right to make these distinctions and comments.

Cancer Awareness Run Amok

• The PINK doesn't help an actual cancer victim nearly as often as you'd think - just ask me or my daughter, who was diagnosed at 28 while she was 20 weeks pregnant.

• Breast cancer is certainly not the only cancer affecting a huge population. There are others just as devastating, warranting 'awareness', moral treatments, and a cure. While it's not a competition, why discount childhood cancer, for example, because it hasn't been as artfully marketed?

• The answer is that these other cancers are at a disadvantage because the powers that be can't make sexist sound bites about them. No, 'save the Ta-tas', 'save the Boobies' and playing games about the color of ones' bras is so much more titillating (see what I did there?).

• The 'awareness' organizations have lots of overhead, pay huge salaries, and spend enormous amounts of the funds collected as donations on marketing. They don't even play nice with each other, jockeying around for the big bucks. One year Susan G Komen even tried to co-opt the color pink and sued smaller organizations for using the word 'cure' in their slogans!

• The American Cancer Society and Komen are also supporters of embryonic stem cell research. This research kills tiny human beings - containing the complete package of humanity including an eternal soul - and yet has given us no viable treatments or cures. Unlike ethical adult stem cell research, with many success stories, the attraction for the Frankensteiniam use of embryos comes down to money. You see, adult stem cells can't be patented - they already belong to you. But embryonic cell lines created in a lab present a high dollar wager and promise government grants galore.

• An even more unholy alliance comes with bedfellows, Komen and abortion giant Planned Parenthood. Although PP does not a single mammogram, they are given large sums of funding from Komen every year. PP where abortion represents 94% of all prenatal 'services'.

Save the Babies, Save the Victims

I'm not here to denigrate the good intentions of others; my intention is to steer those giving hearts into an ethical direction. There are cancer victims galore out here - all sorts of cancers. Why not consider giving directly to a victim, attending fund raisers, sending prayers and cards of encouragement, cooking meals, helping with children, or cleaning houses of those affected? The opportunities are as countless as the victims of this horrific disease. Further, there are moral organizations worthy of your funds and support: The Polycarp Research Institute (TPRI), the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation® offer such opportunities.

All in all, people are kind and generous. They innocently fall into the commercial trapping of the PINK crowd. My aim is to steer them and their good will into a direction worthy of their charity. God bless them for their kindness! My daughter and I have been lifted up by many.

Drilling Down for Facts

Komen Still Sends Big Bucks to Planned Parenthood Abortion Business

It may be for a cause, but not all are tickled pink

Susan G. Komen Foundation Elbows Out Charities Over Use Of The Word 'Cure'

Tapes show Planned Parenthood mammogram claims to be false

Abortion Boosts Breast Cancer Risk 193% Study Finds, Giving Birth Lowers It

Komen Gave $569K to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz in 2010

Surgeon Says Abortion Ups Breast Cancer Risk, Pregnancy Helps Lower It

Mammogram Questions Reveal Breast Cancer Risks, Hid Abortion

Catholic Homeschool Fun: Pumpkin Spider Craft

Whether you call it Autumn or Fall, the season of falling leaves and pumpkins is at hand. This always brings a plethora of craft ideas. This one was inspired by a Pinterest entry I recently pinned. The little white pumpkins were volunteers in our garden - but they can also be purchased at this time of the year.

Pumpkin Spider Craft Supplies

• Miniature pumpkins - white or orange
• Tea lights
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Markers - washable for younger kids, permanent for better coverage
• Hot glue gun
• Paring knife
• Wooden skewer

Pumpkin Spider Craft Instructions

• Trace around tea light on pumpkin and cut out plug
• Insert tea light, including metal holder
• Color pumpkin and give it a spider face - fangs and all
• Cut pipe cleaners in half to make eight legs
• Using wooden skewer, poke 8 holes into pumpkins
• One at a time, place a dot of hot glue on holes in pumpkin and quickly insert legs
• Glue on googly eyes
• Make a bend about halfway in each leg and then another, smaller section on the end for feet

Depending on the age of your youngsters, they can do more or less of this cute craft. Ours are young, so they did the coloring and drew on the faces. Enjoy your fall themed centerpiece at your kitchen table and enjoy the warm glow - both from the candle and on the face of your little one!

Interior Disposition: Why Fix Your Hair, If You're Wearing a Veil?

As someone who is relatively new to veiling, I ravenously researched the practice before I made my decision. The whispered call was there, but so was the fear of others' opinions - the fear of the outward. But that wasn't the inspiration at all. The decision to veil had much more to do with the interior than the exterior. With the decision now made, I'm still in tune with posts and memes on the topic. One good-natured pun in veiling circles is that, when you veil, bad hair days don't matter. Inside jokes aside, those little hidden things to which all of us succumb are called to mind.

So, yes, I spend time on my hair before attending Mass - but it's not because my nice 'do' will impress my fellow parishioners. My purpose is to do my best for Jesus, whose house I will be visiting - He Who I will consume in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Whether or not it's seen by others, I know, and so does He - so I want to present my best to Him.

These musings also present us with an opportunity to ponder the interior state of our souls. Are there little, hidden things not apparent to others? Should they matter? Who will know? The obvious answer is a resounding, yes - they matter! If we are truly living out our purpose in this life - gaining Eternal Life with God - then we must sweep away those interior cobwebs. Outward appearances are, as they say, only skin deep. What matters most is that which can't be seen by the world - our innermost heart and soul. Regular interior housekeeping - confession - becomes another necessary accessory to our Mass attendance.

Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.

 1 Corinthians 11:28-29 28

Don't Be Glum

All of this awareness shouldn't be a source of despair, however. St. Matthew says it nicely: Don't go for the show; have the proper disposition. 

And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

~Matthew 6:16

The next penitential season on the Liturgical Calendar, Advent, is just five Sundays away. Although Advent isn't as somber as Lent, it is still a time of solemn preparation - not just of the household, but of our souls. We will prepare rich foods, gifts, and celebratory decor, yet we will also deny ourselves a bit of our customary luxuries. It's a time of making our souls ready as well. Will we afford ourselves of the vast offerings of Penitential Services and confession opportunities? We await to receive Him as an infant - God become man to shed His Blood for our salvation. Preparations will be made with great joy and anticipation - a happy time for families to share. Yet we must also prepare our inner disposition for His coming. We also know, some day will be the day of His final coming. Are you ready?

A Fool's Paradise or Sin Makes Us Stupid

"We've been living in a fool's paradise", declares Lee of the sweetly nuanced Swiffer commercial. She and husband, Morty, have endeared themselves to television viewers - waltzing in their kitchen and discovering the dirt of which they were formerly unaware. My husband sometimes calls me 'Babe' (Morty's term of endearment), to hint at our goal to be that couple as we age.

In the same way Lee speaks of the hidden dirt her new cleaning gadget has helped her find, we can speak of the hidden sins that we gloss over. During an online retreat I recently heard the good Fr. Ripperger, FSSP say, "sin makes you stupid" - and so it does. Whether it's difficult to discern (like the dust on Lee's kitchen floor), or glossed over by carelessness or habit - we all have sins that, if laid bare, would alarm us.

Sin Makes Us Stupid

To elaborate on this point, lets think about the types of sin: Original Sin, Venial Sin, and Mortal Sin. Original Sin is an effect of the fall of our First Parents. Although not an actual sin that we have committed, it has an actual effect on us - a lack of Grace. If not washed away by Baptism, it causes a lack of subordination to God and therefore makes it difficult to do good. With Original Sin has come sickness and death of the soul.

Venial sin involves matters that are not seriously sinful but can certainly act as the gateway to serious sin. When we mortally sin, we disengage from God - we turn our backs on Him and willfully do evil. This serious sinfulness makes us more prone to evil and it becomes difficult to do good. Our passions are disordered and the control that we have over the flesh is diminished. Therefore we are more and more likely to give in to disordered appetites. This, in turn, darkens our intellect - blinds it to the sin committed. This blindness is our punishment - the resulting cycle of sin makes us more and more stupid...too stupid to be fully aware of the dire straits we are in. The further we fall into sin, the more fixated we become on the created things to which we are attached. Our lower faculties win out with our desire for sinful pleasures. We find that we have an inability to concentrate on spiritual things: even meaningful prayer becomes extremely difficult.

Thankfully our natural light of reason, however diminished, remains with us - giving us a way toward what is right and holy. Although sin darkens our intellect and dulls our senses that judge our sinfulness, with repentance, we can come back to the full light of reason. For this reason, it's prudent to take full advantage of the sacrament of Penance frequently. Holy Mother Church, in the wisdom endowed by Jesus, has given us a perfect way to balance our lives and therefore our souls. Each time we come to Him with the burden of our sins, he presents the perfect means to enhance our holiness, our awareness and our ability to live as we should. We, like Morty, we make dirt (sin) and so must utilize that with which we have been equipped - to make clean what was once dirty. Confession can be the Swiffer* for our souls - cleaning every nook and cranny we are willing to find.

*The Swiffer and Confession comparison is solely mine and not to be confused with the substance of Fr. Ripperger's eloquent message. I have only lightly touched on the wisdom shared in these talks. To hear more from Fr. Ripperger, FSSP click here.

http://www.sensustraditionis.org/webaudio/Sin/Sin.mp3

SG Komen and American Cancer Society are Anti-Life - There are Moral Alternatives

Think before you PINK - it's Cancer Awareness Month again, but Susan G Komen and American Cancer Society are anti-life because they fund Planned Parenthood and support embryonic stem cell research. There are, however, pro-life alternatives! Don't fall for the feel-good PINK efforts going on - buying pink packaged toilet paper or blenders doesn't do anything for actual cancer victims. Become aware of what is REALLY helpful to cancer victims like me - without costing the life of an innocent!

You can find all of the necessary information you need by going to Think Before You PINK!

The basic Pro-LIFE ribbon was created by my daughter, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 28 years old and 20 weeks pregnant. She wanted to create awareness for moral cancer support. Follow this link to read her story. Real life cancer victims don't want to abort their children. They don't want to cost a life to save their life. We want a cure and treatment that is moral and pro-LIFE!

St. Francis - Not Just a Garden Gnome

The name, St. Francis, is on everyone's lips these days – ever since our new Holy Father took Francis as his official name. With this rise in popularity, a saint whose reputation has already been misrepresented, has swung into full blown mischaracterization. As arguably the favorite among all the saints – among Catholics, Protestants and even non-Christians – St. Francis has quite the reputation. But if we are to quell these misrepresentations it might be wise to take a longer look at this multifaceted saint. At first glance, he holds quite the surface image as a kind of garden gnome who holds bowls of water or seed for our feathered friends or perhaps with his arms outstretched as birds land on them much like they did on those of Snow White. I, myself, am guilty of having various representations of him in our vast gardens as mere decoration.

But St. Francis wasn't some hippy, tree hugging monk who worshiped Mother Earth and all of nature. Rather, he fiercely worshiped God while maintaining a healthy respect and sense of wonder for all of His creation. St. Francis' appreciation of nature and acknowledgment of its grandeur stemmed from his devotion to living a life devoid of the lures of earthly pleasure, instead focusing on service to the poor and outcast.

As a former soldier, St. Francis was also a lover of peace. Contrary to popular belief, however, he neither penned the St. Francis Prayer (it was written much later than his lifetime) nor did he say, “preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words". Although both of these nods to him embody his philosophy, the words are not his own. What Francis did do was amazing enough that there is no need for embellishments. For example, in his fervent pursuit of chastity he is said to have rolled, naked, in the cold snow of winter in order to resist temptation. And although he had many hard sayings and practices, there are also many anecdotes about his life that point to a communion with nature that was unusual to say the least. Yet warm and fuzzy aren't really a part of his story.

St. Francis and Nature

• In his quest for following the will of God, St. Francis asked for prayers from Brother Silvester and St. Clare. After having received the answer, given through their prayers, St. Francis set off to preach the Gospel wherever the road led him. On one such occasion, there was a flock of birds noisily chirping and singing. Yet after his command they fell silent until St. Francis had finished sharing the Gospel with the crowd. He was also known to proclaim God by preaching to the birds who would approach him without fear. (From Little Flowers of St. Francis)
• Suffering greatly due to the advanced disease of his eyes, St. Francis sought to visit a certain Cardinal. Upon his arrival, the crowds of his admirers were so great that the grape vines surrounding the church were trampled. This very much disturbed the Cardinal who depended on the grapes for wine. After realizing this dilemma, St. Francis promised that, when the remaining grapes were harvested the wine would be more plentiful than ever. This was the case for the years following. According to the writings from Little Flowers of St. Francis, "This miracle teaches us that as, in consequence of the merits of St Francis, the vine, though despoiled of its grapes, produced an abundance of wine, so in the same way many Christians, whose sins had made them barren of virtue, through the saint's preaching and merits, have often come to abound in the good fruit of repentance".
• There was a fierce wolf who terrorized the village of Gubbio by devouring not only livestock but also the inhabitants. No one could go beyond the walls and so every citizen walked about armed. St. Francis, after hearing of the situation, went out to speak to the wolf. Making the sign of the cross, St. Francis cried out: "Come hither, brother wolf; I command thee, in the name of Christ, neither to harm me nor anybody else." From that day forward the wolf walked the streets like a domesticated dog and did no more harm. (From Little Flowers of St. Francis)

St. Francis and Others

• Actually baptized with the name, Giovanni, Francis came from a wealthy family. His father was a silk merchant who loved all things French, thus, soon after his birth he began calling his son Francesco (Francis).
• St. Francis understood that the spiritual battle began with mortification and denying our instincts. He once met a leprous man, while riding along the prairies of Assisi. Terrorized by the wounds of the unfortunate beggar, he nonetheless approached and kissed him. This renunciation of his will changed his life. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the gesture was St. Francis' 'yes' which started him on the road to submission to God and therefore, sainthood.
• At the beginning of the order of Franciscans, St. Francis was teaching some of his companions about God. Driven by the Holy Spirit, he commanded three of them, one after the other, to proclaim the greatness of the Lord. Their words were so inspired that Jesus appeared in their midst under the guise of a young man and blessed them. (From Little Flowers of St. Francis)
• A devout young boy had the occasion to follow St. Francis when, as was his custom, he rose during the night. There he observed him in prayer. Suddenly he saw a great light, and hearing many voices he also saw Jesus, the Virgin Mary and other saints talking to Francis. (From Little Flowers of St. Francis)
• St Francis, through Divine Revelation knew the hearts of all his brethren. This enabled him to deal with each according to his spiritual need. He even knew that one of his Brothers was damned but at St. Francis' prayer, his soul was restored. (From Little Flowers of St. Francis)
• Pope Gregory IX initially doubted the authenticity of the stigmata of St. Francis but after he saw the saint in an apparition, he approved the sacred, holy stigmata of St Francis by a special bull.

With some of these compelling stories in mind, it isn't too difficult to understand why the image of the warm and fuzzy St. Francis surfaced. He was certainly gifted with an unusual rapport with wildlife and nature. Yet what we must take away from these characterizations is not his love of nature as much as his quest for communion with God - often through His creation. Also apparent is that he genuinely loved the less fortunate - even during his days as a rich young man. His life was far from a fairy tale yet it was one to be admired and emulated. As we enter Springtime, may we find  God’s glory in His wondrous creation and yet not give it more emphasis than the wonders of His love for us. Let us take the example of St. Francis and perpetuate a healthy love of nature, the practice of good stewardship but, most importantly, an unending and unconditional love of others.

St Francis was canonized in the year 1228 by Pope Gregory IX, who came in person to Assisi for his canonization. His feast day is October 4.

This post first appeared on the Catholic Sistas blog on April 3, 20013