Thursday, June 30, 2011

.....and not a Little Debbie in sight!!

I found this article the other day.  I've been working on eating a little healthier (updates will come if there is serious success!) and was really trying to figure out and wrap my head around concepts like why we should eat more fiber when trying to lose weight.  What are the health benefits?  (I actually found some neat answers to this and other questions at a neat site called www.caloriesperhour.com) -- will help you figure your BMI, and also help you plan your weight loss strategies.  I love it!  :)

At any rate, while searching, somehow this site came up.  It's very interesting -- what Jesus likely ate.  According to this list, there is no chocolate (which should be further proof that Jesus was NOT a woman!), but really a lot of the foods that we are told to eat and drink when being healthy.  He was skinny (I think!), so this makes sense.

At any rate, I thought it was a neat site, so here you go:

http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/Healthy-Living/10-Foods-and-Drinks-Jesus-Likely-Consumed.aspx

If anyone has any ideas, please share.  In the meantime, I'll go back to drinking my water and eating my fiber (I read what happens when you eat too much fiber and don't drink enough water -- no thanks!).

Have a great day, everyone!  If you're travelling for the holiday, please stay safe and drive safe.  I'd rather you get somewhere late than not at all.  :)

Happy Independence Day!!  God bless!

Monday, June 27, 2011

F.A.M.I.L.Y.

Wow -- what a weekend!!!  We had a crazy, busy weekend.....and I loved every minute of it.  By busy, I don't mean that I ran a marathon -- I would probably have other words for the weekend then.  But by busy, I mean we had a lot of things to do and a lot of fun to have.

I often look back on our weekends, and our time in general, and realize that my favorite times in my life is when I am spending time with my family (both my kids and hubby, and also extended family).  This weekend was an "extended family" weekend.  We spent Saturday helping my brother Duane in his bid to stay as the Municipal Court Judge in Sidney/Shelby County.  Parades, candy, and fun!  I love to be in parades -- you see so many people!!  Of course, there is limited time to talk, but there is time to say hey and perhaps see people you wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Last  year, we were in the Oktoberfest parade.  I asked my dad if he'd like to ride in the parade with me -- he always loved that parade.  "Of course!" he said, without any hesitation.  So, we set him up in the convertible with the heat on his feet, and blankets on his legs, and he waved all the way through.  He had a blast.  Later, he told me that was the first time he'd ever been in a parade.  Although that didn't surprise me, it struck me that I've been in lots of parades in my life -- when I was in high school, we went to every area festival and marched in the band.  I didn't always love it, but I went.  LOL  At any rate, he was able to see lots of people that day, and, in hindsight, say goodbye and go out in style.  Little did we know at that time that that would not only be his first parade, but his last as well.  It's those times that I call my God Moments.  As I think back on that day, he was waving goodbye to many people he'd known his whole life.  The Oktoberfest parade won't be the same without him.

Sunday, we spent at a family reunion on my mom's side.  As we arrived and I looked around, it made me sad to realize that we were there with 3 less people than we had last year this time.  Out of 10 siblings, only 3 were present.  I made sure to give my aunts a kiss and a hug when I left, for we never know if we will see them again!  It was a great reunion -- of course, not everyone was there, but there was (in my opinion) a great turnout, and the weather was so nice that most people hung out most of the afternoon.  It was truly a great way to catch up with many folks!

After the reunion, we stopped at my brother John's house for a while, with the rest of my siblings and their families.  What a gift that afternoon was!!  I remember after Dad died, one of the kids asked if we would stop getting together, because that would make them sad and they would miss their cousins.  The answer was no.....we're entirely too close for that to ever happen!  Father Craig (our cousin) stopped out and ate dinner with us, and it was nice to spend a little quality time with him.

As we try to reorganize our lives without Mom and Dad around, I find myself often wondering what Mom or Dad would say or do in a certain situation.  How would they handle it?  I notice often when I'm with my siblings that they do it, too.  I've been amazed at how far and wide we have heard from people after the loss of my dad -- they knew him, or worked with him, or met him at a tractor show, but all wanted to share their condolences.  We miss him a lot, but it's interesting to hear how others miss him as well.

Are you wondering about the title of this post?  I learned it from a priest at a conference I once went to.  F.A.M.I.L.Y. = Forget About Me, I Love You!!!!!!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Feast of Corpus Christi

Well, Sunday is the Feast of Corpus Christi.  Are you ready to celebrate?  Do you have your cake baked?  Your candles ready??

You don't?  Why not?  It's a great day!!!  :)

I have to admit, that I need to work on my solemnity days.  I know the biggies -- Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, Pentecost, etc., but some of these other days I am learning about. 

We went to a different church than normal tonight -- with a different priest, and a different deacon.  I love to switch it up sometimes -- it's like anything, you get out of your normal habit and things appear differently. 

After I stopped smiling watching the dad in front of us teach his son not to do the sign of the cross before the Gospel, but rather bless his forehead, lips, and heart (Jesus, be always on my mind, my lips, and in my heart) -- which made me smile -- I listened to the Gospel, and then the homily.

Now, I have to admit that I LOVE the priest at the church we were at -- so, I was a bit disappointed when he didn't preach tonight.  It seems that almost every time we go there, the deacon is preaching!  I always find it interesting, though, that the deacon always touches my heart in some way.

I want to back up a bit.  Earlier this week, Harry and I went to a weekday mass.  We primarily went because it was for my mom and dad, but I really do like to go to weekday mass whenever I can (and I actually can more than I do.....).  We had a different priest, there, too, because our priest is travelling.  I love Father Hoying -- he does his job with such joy and always with a smile on his face.  A few years ago, when Sarah was doing her Girl Scout Gold Award, he donated a vestment to the people of Grenada.  We had Harry try it on and take pictures so that Sarah could show it in her project.  We often show him the picture of him being a "priest".....with the hopes that one day it could come true!  He has spoken of it on more than one occasion.  :)  We'll see where the Holy Spirit leads him, but we keep him in our prayers as well!

But I digress.  I had no idea that this weekend was Corpus Christi when we were at mass this week.  Of this you can be sure.  However, I had a really interesting thing happen to me during mass.  When I took the Eucharist, and then the Blood of Jesus, I felt as if I was taking it for the first time all over again.  I don't really know how to explain it other than it was as if I had never had them before.  I do try to appreciate my time when I know that the Body of our Lord is physically in my body, but this was different.  It was appreciating the texture of the Eucharist all over.  And the flavor of the Blood.  It was a really neat experience.

Tonight, the Deacon was speaking of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi (which is, if you aren't familiar, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ).  It's a time for us to reflect on the fact that each and every time we receive the Eucharist at mass, we are truly receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  How easy that is for us to overlook.  I always lick my lips when I am done receiving, to be sure to get every drop that I have received.  How awesome of a gift is it that we are able to receive this gift each time we attend mass (and even at some prayer services!).  I think I've mentioned before, but sometimes I worry when I am distributing that people don't realize (I'm sure they don't) the beautiful gift they are being given.  I see hands just thrown out, or people grab the host, etc.  I just pray for them and hope that their heart will realize over time what a gift they are being given!

As the Deacon mentioned tonight -- have you ever wondered what it is like to experience heaven?  Because you do each and every time you receive the Eucharist.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!  God bless!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Hi everyone!

Hi all ~

No, I haven't forgotten about you -- just have been trying to enjoy life with our newly graduated girl, and enjoy our family as a whole. 

We made it!!  Unscathed!!  We made it through 12 graduation parties, one graduation ceremony, a baccalaureate, and the end of the school year!!  We did it!!!

We had a ton of fun -- why didn't anyone tell me how fun graduation parties are when you host them???  :)  We knew EVERYONE there!  What I wasn't prepared for was that I knew everyone there -- and didn't get to chat with everyone as much as I would have liked.  :(

Sarah will be off in August to the University of Dayton, where she will study Dietetics and Human Nutrition.  She went to work with Jim last week and spent the day with a couple of dieticians at the hospital -- and she loved it.  I hope her dreams (whatever they are!) come true!

We had another big moment in our house this past week.  Emily got her Driver's License!  I'm not quite sure which worries me more -- sending a child to college, or putting a new driver on the road.  I don't do well when they are gone in the early days.  It has nothing to do with trusting Emily -- it's just what can happen when you are on the roads.

I've been following the progress of a little boy from Coldwater, who was in an auto accident last Friday night.  Basically, his skull was crushed and his brain swelled.  At this point, little is known about what, if any, long-term effects he may have.  Please keep him and his family in your prayers.  I do not know them, but have been touched greatly by their faith, and the faith shown on their Facebook page.  If you have not seen this page yet, simply type in "Pray 4 Trey" in the searchbar on Facebook, and you will be at his page.  If you click "like" you will receive updates from the family as they are posted.  For all it's faults, Facebook has some really wonderful opportunities, like this, to support people you may not even know.

I'm going to work really hard at getting back on track with this blog.  I know that many of you enjoyed it, and frankly, I enjoy doing it.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend with those you love!

I'm off to la la land!  Good night!