A Meme--Favorite Prayer

A Trail of Flowers tagged me in a meme! I haven't been tagged in a meme for a long time!  This meme is about your favorite prayers.  Here are the rules.

"Name your three favourite prayers and explain why they're your favourites.  Then tag five bloggers - give them a link, and then go and tell them they have been tagged.  Finally, tell the person who tagged you that you've completed the meme.  The Liturgy and the Sacraments are off limits here.  I'm more interested in people's favorite devotional prayers."

1) The Jesus Prayer:  Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

2) The Prayer of St. Gertrude:  Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family.

3) The Prayer of the Angel at Fatima:  Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.

All my prayers seem to point to God's mercy.  I think that is one of the most important things that Jesus came on earth to do--tell us of His Father's mercy. Trust in God's mercy drives away despair and brings hope.

The illustration above is called Evening Prayers by Eugene Ernest Hillemacher. The gorgeous details in the mother's clothes are worth viewing over at the Art Renewal Center in its larger size.

I tag Michele at A Simple Life, RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing,Teófilo de Jesús at Vivificat!, Paul at Sober Catholic, and Collins Benedict at Stumbling Back Home.

A Meme--Favorite Prayer

A Trail of Flowers tagged me in a meme! I haven't been tagged in a meme for a long time!  This meme is about your favorite prayers.  Here are the rules.

"Name your three favourite prayers and explain why they're your favourites.  Then tag five bloggers - give them a link, and then go and tell them they have been tagged.  Finally, tell the person who tagged you that you've completed the meme.  The Liturgy and the Sacraments are off limits here.  I'm more interested in people's favorite devotional prayers."

1) The Jesus Prayer:  Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

2) The Prayer of St. Gertrude:  Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family.

3) The Prayer of the Angel at Fatima:  Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.

All my prayers seem to point to God's mercy.  I think that is one of the most important things that Jesus came on earth to do--tell us of His Father's mercy. Trust in God's mercy drives away despair and brings hope.

The illustration above is called Evening Prayers by Eugene Ernest Hillemacher. The gorgeous details in the mother's clothes are worth viewing over at the Art Renewal Center in its larger size.

I tag Michele at A Simple Life, RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing,Teófilo de Jesús at Vivificat!, Paul at Sober Catholic, and Collins Benedict at Stumbling Back Home.

A Book Meme!!!

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
I don't, really, because I often read in bed!  :D

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? I've done it in the past, but as a rule I often don't.  This may be because I get most of my books from the library.  Also, I'm becoming very aware of the amount of STUFF I have in my house, and now I read books with an eye towards donating them either to the library, or thrift store, or a church book sale. Oh, also the campground where my husband works has a book shelf/lending library where we take our books as well. 

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Book marks.  A local Nursing home makes them and gives them away for free at the library.  Also, the old Catholic standby bookmark:  Holy Cards!!!  Check out some cool ones here! 

Laying the book flat open?
In the large scheme of things, this is a rather tiny pet peeve of mine, but nevertheless, still a pet peeve. That's what bookmarks are for.  And holy cards.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Both, but I think I come down on the side of fiction. I especially enjoy mysteries, history, historical fiction and biographies.

Hard copy or audiobooks? Hard copy. I like audiobooks, but I haven't used them in a while.  They're great for a car, but I have to make sure I pay attention to where I'm going!

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?  Depends. Sometimes I read to the end of chapters, but often I read to the point where I realize I'm not understanding what I'm reading and/or I am falling asleep and then I give up.
 
If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away? Not usually. Normally I try to ascertain what it means by contextual clues.

What are you currently reading? Saint Anthony, by Madeline Pecora Nugent, Let Go by Sheila Walsh, The Merchant's Partner by Michael Jecks, The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant, Bathe Seven Times by Mother Nadine, and Kissed by the Angels by Sophie Martin-Canning.

What is the last book you bought? The Merchant's Partner by Michael Jecks, Bathe Seven Times by Mother Nadine, The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way by Helen Bacovcin, The Jesus Prayer by Sjogren, Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales, The Confessions of St. Augustine by St. Augustine, Saving Grace by Patricia Gaffney.  (Ok, I bought a bag of books at a sale for $5.) 

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?  As you may be able to tell from the list above, these days, I often read more than one book at a time! 

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read? Normally I read in bed before I go to sleep. 

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? Either is fine.  I like series books.  The first series books I really enjoyed as an adult were "The Cat Who..." series by Lilian Jackson Braun.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over? 
I often go back to Lilian Jackson Braun.  Her books are a great escape into a world where the main character inherits a fortune from someone who is not related to him, turns the management of the money over to professionals and writes part time while solving mysteries...oh, and owns 2 Siamese cats.  What a dream!

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)  I usually organize them by size on the shelf. 

If you read this, you are tagged.  Leave me a message so I can go read your book answers.  :D

Note:  Picture by Robert Sloan.  Check out his website, How to Create Five Minute Art.

A Book Meme!!!

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
I don't, really, because I often read in bed!  :D

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? I've done it in the past, but as a rule I often don't.  This may be because I get most of my books from the library.  Also, I'm becoming very aware of the amount of STUFF I have in my house, and now I read books with an eye towards donating them either to the library, or thrift store, or a church book sale. Oh, also the campground where my husband works has a book shelf/lending library where we take our books as well. 

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Book marks.  A local Nursing home makes them and gives them away for free at the library.  Also, the old Catholic standby bookmark:  Holy Cards!!!  Check out some cool ones here! 

Laying the book flat open?
In the large scheme of things, this is a rather tiny pet peeve of mine, but nevertheless, still a pet peeve. That's what bookmarks are for.  And holy cards.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Both, but I think I come down on the side of fiction. I especially enjoy mysteries, history, historical fiction and biographies.

Hard copy or audiobooks? Hard copy. I like audiobooks, but I haven't used them in a while.  They're great for a car, but I have to make sure I pay attention to where I'm going!

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?  Depends. Sometimes I read to the end of chapters, but often I read to the point where I realize I'm not understanding what I'm reading and/or I am falling asleep and then I give up.
 
If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away? Not usually. Normally I try to ascertain what it means by contextual clues.

What are you currently reading? Saint Anthony, by Madeline Pecora Nugent, Let Go by Sheila Walsh, The Merchant's Partner by Michael Jecks, The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant, Bathe Seven Times by Mother Nadine, and Kissed by the Angels by Sophie Martin-Canning.

What is the last book you bought? The Merchant's Partner by Michael Jecks, Bathe Seven Times by Mother Nadine, The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way by Helen Bacovcin, The Jesus Prayer by Sjogren, Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales, The Confessions of St. Augustine by St. Augustine, Saving Grace by Patricia Gaffney.  (Ok, I bought a bag of books at a sale for $5.) 

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?  As you may be able to tell from the list above, these days, I often read more than one book at a time! 

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read? Normally I read in bed before I go to sleep. 

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? Either is fine.  I like series books.  The first series books I really enjoyed as an adult were "The Cat Who..." series by Lilian Jackson Braun.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over? 
I often go back to Lilian Jackson Braun.  Her books are a great escape into a world where the main character inherits a fortune from someone who is not related to him, turns the management of the money over to professionals and writes part time while solving mysteries...oh, and owns 2 Siamese cats.  What a dream!

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)  I usually organize them by size on the shelf. 

If you read this, you are tagged.  Leave me a message so I can go read your book answers.  :D

Note:  Picture by Robert Sloan.  Check out his website, How to Create Five Minute Art.

My Top Ten Songs of All Time

Cygnus has a cool meme on his blog about the top 10 songs of all time. Here are mine.

I intend to overwhelm you all with YouTube versions of these, perhaps one at a time, but for now, I'll just list them. These are in no particular order.

I've had the unbelievable privilege of singing all of these at one time or another.

• Rutter's Gloria
• Nutcracker Suit--Tchaikovsky
• Four Seasons by Vivaldi
• This Little Babe--Benjamin Britten: Ceremony of Carols
• Ave Maria--Josquin Desprez
• Ave verum corpus--Mozart
• Halleluia Chorus--Handel
• Es ist ein Ros entsprungen--Low How a Rose 'Ere Blooming
• Stille Nacht--Melody by Franz Xaver Grube, Lyrics by Joseph Franz Mohr
• Serenade to music--R. Vaughan Williams

My Top Ten Songs of All Time

Cygnus has a cool meme on his blog about the top 10 songs of all time. Here are mine.

I intend to overwhelm you all with YouTube versions of these, perhaps one at a time, but for now, I'll just list them. These are in no particular order.

I've had the unbelievable privilege of singing all of these at one time or another.

• Rutter's Gloria
• Nutcracker Suit--Tchaikovsky
• Four Seasons by Vivaldi
• This Little Babe--Benjamin Britten: Ceremony of Carols
• Ave Maria--Josquin Desprez
• Ave verum corpus--Mozart
• Halleluia Chorus--Handel
• Es ist ein Ros entsprungen--Low How a Rose 'Ere Blooming
• Stille Nacht--Melody by Franz Xaver Grube, Lyrics by Joseph Franz Mohr
• Serenade to music--R. Vaughan Williams

One Word Meme

Here's a meme from LifeisGreat. The answers must be ONE word only.

1. Where is your mobile phone? chair
2. Relationship? yes
3. Your hair? yuk
4. Work? semesters
5. Your sister(s)? overworked
6. Your favorite thing? spaghetti
7. Your dream last night? no...
8. Your favorite drink? tea
9. Your dream car? free!
10. The room you're in? living
11. Your shoes? one
12. Your fears? ophthalmologist
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? alive
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Sweetie
15. What are you not good at? math
16. Muffin? thanks
17. Wish list item? window
18. Where you grew up? Catonsville
19. The last thing you did? hobble
20. What are you wearing? capris
21. What are you not wearing? hat
22. Your pet? Sweetie
23. Your computer? always
24. Your life? waiting
25. Your mood? anticipating
26. Missing? sanity
27. What are you thinking about? caregiving
28. Your car? dirty
29. Your kitchen? dirty
30. Your summer? cast
31. Your favorite color? bright
32. Last time you laughed? hmmm
33. Last time you cried? hmmmm
34. School? out
35. Love? God

One Word Meme

Here's a meme from LifeisGreat. The answers must be ONE word only.

1. Where is your mobile phone? chair
2. Relationship? yes
3. Your hair? yuk
4. Work? semesters
5. Your sister(s)? overworked
6. Your favorite thing? spaghetti
7. Your dream last night? no...
8. Your favorite drink? tea
9. Your dream car? free!
10. The room you're in? living
11. Your shoes? one
12. Your fears? ophthalmologist
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? alive
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Sweetie
15. What are you not good at? math
16. Muffin? thanks
17. Wish list item? window
18. Where you grew up? Catonsville
19. The last thing you did? hobble
20. What are you wearing? capris
21. What are you not wearing? hat
22. Your pet? Sweetie
23. Your computer? always
24. Your life? waiting
25. Your mood? anticipating
26. Missing? sanity
27. What are you thinking about? caregiving
28. Your car? dirty
29. Your kitchen? dirty
30. Your summer? cast
31. Your favorite color? bright
32. Last time you laughed? hmmm
33. Last time you cried? hmmmm
34. School? out
35. Love? God

The Hand of God

AutumnRose invited me to participate in "In Other Words". Basically her question was, how do you feel the hand of God in your life?

I see God all the time in the weather (while trying not to take it personally when it rains and rains and rains like its been doing lately). I see Him in today's beautiful humidity-free sunshine. I feel like the weather is God's way of saying hello.

I also see God in family and friends. It is so tempting, when you are prone to depression, to isolate and catastrophize. But reaching out for help is the only way to get it.

It reminds me of the story of the man whose basement was flooding. He prayed to God to help him. He went up to the main floor of his house as the water rose. He then was forced onto the second floor as the water rose again. As he looked out his window to discern the situation, a neighbor came by in a boat. He waved away his offer of help, saying, "God will provide." As the water continued to rise, he sought refuge on the roof. Another neighbor rowed by in his boat and offered to help. The man said again, "God will provide." An army helicopter flew by and threw out a rope ladder. The man refused to climb aboard saying, "God will provide."

Eventually, he perished in the flood. When he got to Heaven he said, "God! I prayed to You and I had faith! Why didn't you save me!?!" God said to him, "I sent two boats and a helicopter! What more do you want?!?"

The Hand of God

AutumnRose invited me to participate in "In Other Words". Basically her question was, how do you feel the hand of God in your life?

I see God all the time in the weather (while trying not to take it personally when it rains and rains and rains like its been doing lately). I see Him in today's beautiful humidity-free sunshine. I feel like the weather is God's way of saying hello.

I also see God in family and friends. It is so tempting, when you are prone to depression, to isolate and catastrophize. But reaching out for help is the only way to get it.

It reminds me of the story of the man whose basement was flooding. He prayed to God to help him. He went up to the main floor of his house as the water rose. He then was forced onto the second floor as the water rose again. As he looked out his window to discern the situation, a neighbor came by in a boat. He waved away his offer of help, saying, "God will provide." As the water continued to rise, he sought refuge on the roof. Another neighbor rowed by in his boat and offered to help. The man said again, "God will provide." An army helicopter flew by and threw out a rope ladder. The man refused to climb aboard saying, "God will provide."

Eventually, he perished in the flood. When he got to Heaven he said, "God! I prayed to You and I had faith! Why didn't you save me!?!" God said to him, "I sent two boats and a helicopter! What more do you want?!?"

A Meme

I've been tagged by Shirley at Seeking Jesus :

These are the rules:

1. When tagged place the name and URL on your blog.

2. Post rules on your blog.

3. Write 7 non-important things/habit/quirks about yourself.

4. Name 7 of your favorite blogs.

5. Send an email/comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged.

So here you are:

1. I tend to be a literalist. I take what people say at face value, which is not always what they mean!

2. I am related to the man who invented the steam boat, Robert Fulton.

3. I am also related to Charlemagne.

4. In high school, I never took any chemistry, trigonometry or calculus. I only had the equivalent of one half year of geometry.

6. I nevertheless managed to get a 4 year college degree--not in chemistry, trigonometry, calculus, or geometry, however.

7. I once actually made liver with peanut sauce.

I tag Lifeisgreat, Cygnus, LadyCub, Angela, and Marie. (I'm going to copy Shirley and only tag 5.)

A Meme

I've been tagged by Shirley at Seeking Jesus :

These are the rules:

1. When tagged place the name and URL on your blog.

2. Post rules on your blog.

3. Write 7 non-important things/habit/quirks about yourself.

4. Name 7 of your favorite blogs.

5. Send an email/comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged.

So here you are:

1. I tend to be a literalist. I take what people say at face value, which is not always what they mean!

2. I am related to the man who invented the steam boat, Robert Fulton.

3. I am also related to Charlemagne.

4. In high school, I never took any chemistry, trigonometry or calculus. I only had the equivalent of one half year of geometry.

6. I nevertheless managed to get a 4 year college degree--not in chemistry, trigonometry, calculus, or geometry, however.

7. I once actually made liver with peanut sauce.

I tag Lifeisgreat, Cygnus, LadyCub, Angela, and Marie. (I'm going to copy Shirley and only tag 5.)

Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags or pre-decorated boxes. I am a notoriously sloppy wrapper.

2. Real tree or artificial? Small artificial with fiber-optic lights. Easy, pretty. One bulb.

3. When do you put up the tree? I usually put up the tree sometime around "Gaudete Sunday"--the third Sunday in Advent--the "rose" Sunday.

4. When do you take the tree down? It stays up until at least Epiphany. I'd keep it up longer if DH wouldn't fuss so much about it.

5. Do you like eggnog? As long as it doesn't have alcohol in it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmmm....I don't know about "favorite", but I do remember one year when my sister and I got matching "twin" dolls, which was fun. Also, one year we got Crissy and Velvet dolls whose hair would lengthen if you pushed a button on their tummy and pulled out their pony tails!

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes, we have a couple nativity scenes. We have one from DiGiovanni (see picture) but with a larger, handmade stable and a larger angel, one from St. Croix that is made of clay and breaks every year (Christmas time = glue-gun time!) and a plastic one I got ds when he was little.

8. Hardest person to buy for? I think guys are hard to buy for.

9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmmm...I'm not sure I want to go there.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail, although the number of cards I receive gets smaller by the year. I'm starting to think the whole thing will die out in a few years. Kind of makes me sad.

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? "A Christmas Carol," 1951 version will ALWAYS be the best. I also like "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Both of those were made back when Christmas specials could actually talk a little about...shhhh.....Christ!!!!!

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Sometimes I start to shop in the fall, if I see things I think people will like.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I'm sure I have sometime. I may even this year.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? That's a good question. I like Christmas cookies and candy canes.

15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored, fiber-optic, that twinkle. DH likes "blinkies". I always thought that blinky lights were reserved for the doctor's office, which we spent quite a bit of time in during Christmas when I was a kid.

16. Favorite Christmas song. "Lo, How a Rose 'Er Blooming." It's even nice in German.

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Well, we travel for the Christmas season. Sometimes it's on Christmas Day proper and sometimes it's not.

18. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer. Yep.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel. Always an angel.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Normally Christmas morning, but sometimes DH remembers that his family opened one on Christmas Eve and we do that too.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Spending money. The materialism. Ungrateful people.

Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags or pre-decorated boxes. I am a notoriously sloppy wrapper.

2. Real tree or artificial? Small artificial with fiber-optic lights. Easy, pretty. One bulb.

3. When do you put up the tree? I usually put up the tree sometime around "Gaudete Sunday"--the third Sunday in Advent--the "rose" Sunday.

4. When do you take the tree down? It stays up until at least Epiphany. I'd keep it up longer if DH wouldn't fuss so much about it.

5. Do you like eggnog? As long as it doesn't have alcohol in it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmmm....I don't know about "favorite", but I do remember one year when my sister and I got matching "twin" dolls, which was fun. Also, one year we got Crissy and Velvet dolls whose hair would lengthen if you pushed a button on their tummy and pulled out their pony tails!

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes, we have a couple nativity scenes. We have one from DiGiovanni (see picture) but with a larger, handmade stable and a larger angel, one from St. Croix that is made of clay and breaks every year (Christmas time = glue-gun time!) and a plastic one I got ds when he was little.

8. Hardest person to buy for? I think guys are hard to buy for.

9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmmm...I'm not sure I want to go there.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail, although the number of cards I receive gets smaller by the year. I'm starting to think the whole thing will die out in a few years. Kind of makes me sad.

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? "A Christmas Carol," 1951 version will ALWAYS be the best. I also like "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Both of those were made back when Christmas specials could actually talk a little about...shhhh.....Christ!!!!!

12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Sometimes I start to shop in the fall, if I see things I think people will like.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I'm sure I have sometime. I may even this year.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? That's a good question. I like Christmas cookies and candy canes.

15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored, fiber-optic, that twinkle. DH likes "blinkies". I always thought that blinky lights were reserved for the doctor's office, which we spent quite a bit of time in during Christmas when I was a kid.

16. Favorite Christmas song. "Lo, How a Rose 'Er Blooming." It's even nice in German.

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Well, we travel for the Christmas season. Sometimes it's on Christmas Day proper and sometimes it's not.

18. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer. Yep.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel. Always an angel.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Normally Christmas morning, but sometimes DH remembers that his family opened one on Christmas Eve and we do that too.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Spending money. The materialism. Ungrateful people.

Mathetes Award

Rachi and Divine Mercy have both nominated me for the Mathetes Award for excellence in Discipleship. I am humbled and grateful. I hereby pass this award onto:

• Suzi at Sailing by Starlight for one of the most beautiful and uplifting blogs out there.

• Thomas Fitzpatrick at Recta Ratio for his untiring dedication to Catholic history and tradition.

• Diana at St. Fiacre's Garden for her daily dedication to the Lord through her family.

• Deacon Harry at Dolorosa Journal for his web ministry to those suffering from mental illness and their families.

• Syrian Catholic at Ecce Agnus Dei for his dedication to the Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform in the Church.

These five nominated people are to pass this award onto five others, mentioning the person or people that nominated them.

Mathetes Award

Rachi and Divine Mercy have both nominated me for the Mathetes Award for excellence in Discipleship. I am humbled and grateful. I hereby pass this award onto:

• Suzi at Sailing by Starlight for one of the most beautiful and uplifting blogs out there.

• Thomas Fitzpatrick at Recta Ratio for his untiring dedication to Catholic history and tradition.

• Diana at St. Fiacre's Garden for her daily dedication to the Lord through her family.

• Deacon Harry at Dolorosa Journal for his web ministry to those suffering from mental illness and their families.

• Syrian Catholic at Ecce Agnus Dei for his dedication to the Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform in the Church.

These five nominated people are to pass this award onto five others, mentioning the person or people that nominated them.

Sleeping With Bread

Sleeping With Bread is a Monday meme that introduces the practice of the examen, based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. The concept comes from Mary-LUE at Sleeping With Bread blog via AutumnRose.

Here is the background story from Mary-LUE:

During the bombing raids of WWII, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. The fortunate ones were rescued and placed in refugee camps where they received food and good care. But many of these children who had lost so much could not sleep at night. They feared waking up to find themselves once again homeless and without food. Nothing seemed to reassure them. Finally, someone hit upon the idea of giving each child a piece of bread to hold at bedtime. Holding their bread, these children could finally sleep in peace. All through the night the bread reminded them, "Today I ate and I will eat again tomorrow." (Linn, Dennis et al, Sleeping
With Bread, p.l)

The examine is a way of reviewing your day developed by St. Ignatius which involves looking at the ways in which you were best able and least able to serve the Lord. You can use the questions below or make up your own:

• For what am I most grateful? Least grateful?
• When did I give and receive the most love? The least love?
• When did I feel most alive? Most drained of life?
• When did I have the greatest sense of belonging? Least sense of belonging?
• When was I most free? Least free?
• When was I most creative? Least creative?
• When did I feel most connected? Least connected?
• When did I feel most fully myself? Least myself?
• When did I feel most whole? Most fragmented?

The idea is to hang onto the ways in which you have been most nourished and give to God the ways in which you have been least nourished. I think if you include the "least nourished" side of things, it is important to give them to God after you bring them to mind. Also, if you discover any shortcoming of your own while doing this exercise, ask God's forgiveness and strength for the coming day.

I love the image of sleeping with bread--hanging onto the things that make you feel most alive and most nurtured by God.

As a Catholic, the whole concept of "Sleeping with Bread" brings to my mind, Jesus as the Bread of Life. Meditating on the Eucharist and Christ's love for us is a wonderful way to feel gratitude. The times when I have felt most fragmented have been those times when I have hidden myself from God. That is never worth it. God is always there, ready to nourish us "in the breaking of the bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42).

Sleeping With Bread

Sleeping With Bread is a Monday meme that introduces the practice of the examen, based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. The concept comes from Mary-LUE at Sleeping With Bread blog via AutumnRose.

Here is the background story from Mary-LUE:

During the bombing raids of WWII, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. The fortunate ones were rescued and placed in refugee camps where they received food and good care. But many of these children who had lost so much could not sleep at night. They feared waking up to find themselves once again homeless and without food. Nothing seemed to reassure them. Finally, someone hit upon the idea of giving each child a piece of bread to hold at bedtime. Holding their bread, these children could finally sleep in peace. All through the night the bread reminded them, "Today I ate and I will eat again tomorrow." (Linn, Dennis et al, Sleeping
With Bread, p.l)

The examine is a way of reviewing your day developed by St. Ignatius which involves looking at the ways in which you were best able and least able to serve the Lord. You can use the questions below or make up your own:

• For what am I most grateful? Least grateful?
• When did I give and receive the most love? The least love?
• When did I feel most alive? Most drained of life?
• When did I have the greatest sense of belonging? Least sense of belonging?
• When was I most free? Least free?
• When was I most creative? Least creative?
• When did I feel most connected? Least connected?
• When did I feel most fully myself? Least myself?
• When did I feel most whole? Most fragmented?

The idea is to hang onto the ways in which you have been most nourished and give to God the ways in which you have been least nourished. I think if you include the "least nourished" side of things, it is important to give them to God after you bring them to mind. Also, if you discover any shortcoming of your own while doing this exercise, ask God's forgiveness and strength for the coming day.

I love the image of sleeping with bread--hanging onto the things that make you feel most alive and most nurtured by God.

As a Catholic, the whole concept of "Sleeping with Bread" brings to my mind, Jesus as the Bread of Life. Meditating on the Eucharist and Christ's love for us is a wonderful way to feel gratitude. The times when I have felt most fragmented have been those times when I have hidden myself from God. That is never worth it. God is always there, ready to nourish us "in the breaking of the bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42).

My Favorite Latin and English Hymns

Dymphna's Road has a nice, short music meme, which I've managed to make into an hours-long research project! It asks you to list your favorite Latin and English hymns. Where possible, I've included links to the actual song for those who are curious about some of the pieces. You may have to find the link once you get to the page.


Favorite Latin Hymns

Ave Maria--Gounod [I sing this one often, at weddings, and, once at a funeral.]

Adeste Fideles

Pange Lingua/Tantum Ergo

Gloria by John Rutter [This is worth listening to, IMO. Click on the link and then click on the second blue button--under "John Rutter--Gloria III." I sang this in my first year in college. What a privilege! It is sad that I learned more liturgical Latin in a public--very NON-Catholic--college than anywhere else.]

Ave Verum Corpus Sang this one in College as well.

Tu Es Petrus [Our college choir sang this song during the Mass that John Paul II had in the Mall in Washington in October of 1979.]

Hodie Christus Natus Est (You may have to scroll down to track 4--"Procession". It starts very softly.)


Favorite English Hymns

O Sacred Head Surrounded

Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

What Wondrous Love is This

Precious Lord [We sang this in college too. Beautiful.]

This Little Babe [I sang this in High School, believe it or not. Also a great privilege. For this one, you may have to scroll down to track 10.] (They don't have the entire song on there, but you'll get the idea. The whole CD is fantastic.)

If I had my hymnal at home, I'm sure I could go on and on. But I don't, so I'd better stop now!

My Favorite Latin and English Hymns

Dymphna's Road has a nice, short music meme, which I've managed to make into an hours-long research project! It asks you to list your favorite Latin and English hymns. Where possible, I've included links to the actual song for those who are curious about some of the pieces. You may have to find the link once you get to the page.


Favorite Latin Hymns

Ave Maria--Gounod [I sing this one often, at weddings, and, once at a funeral.]

Adeste Fideles

Pange Lingua/Tantum Ergo

Gloria by John Rutter [This is worth listening to, IMO. Click on the link and then click on the second blue button--under "John Rutter--Gloria III." I sang this in my first year in college. What a privilege! It is sad that I learned more liturgical Latin in a public--very NON-Catholic--college than anywhere else.]

Ave Verum Corpus Sang this one in College as well.

Tu Es Petrus [Our college choir sang this song during the Mass that John Paul II had in the Mall in Washington in October of 1979.]

Hodie Christus Natus Est (You may have to scroll down to track 4--"Procession". It starts very softly.)


Favorite English Hymns

O Sacred Head Surrounded

Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

What Wondrous Love is This

Precious Lord [We sang this in college too. Beautiful.]

This Little Babe [I sang this in High School, believe it or not. Also a great privilege. For this one, you may have to scroll down to track 10.] (They don't have the entire song on there, but you'll get the idea. The whole CD is fantastic.)

If I had my hymnal at home, I'm sure I could go on and on. But I don't, so I'd better stop now!