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November, 2009:

Thankful to you…

I’m so thankful to all my readers and bloggy friends out there who help me find new friends on the web.   I’m still pretty tickled that anyone cares what I say (reads it, cares, same difference!).

Thank you to my biggest pushers:

and, if you are interested my most popular posts this month (not necessarily WRITTEN this month):

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Book Review & Excerpt – The Unfinished Gift

unfinished-revell

This is a heart-warming holiday story of a grumpy old curmudgeon who is suddenly in charge of caring for a grandson he’s never seen.  Set in World War II, the old man’s estranged son is away flying bombers in England when his son’s wife dies suddenly in a car accident.   Set in his stubborn ways after the death of his wife, the young boy turns his life upside down in just a few days.

The boy, only 7 years old, has his world crashing down on him.  His father is at war, his mother died and his grandfather hates him.   He wants nothing more but to leave his grandfather and see his dad.   A series of event happen to the grandfather causing him to have a change in heart toward nearly everyone.

This story of forgiveness will touch everyone’s heart.   Not only does the grandfather undergo some very intense change very quickly, but it is entirely believable.   A well-written tale, I think it’s an excellent story for everyone, at any time of year!

If you would like to read more, you can read an excerpt on the publisher’s website, or you can also view on Scribd.

This book was provided for review by Revell Books.

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Catholic Prayer for Busy Moms – Prayers for Catholic Families

lent-still-lifePhoto by guldfisken

Before I ended my series, I wanted to share a whole bunch of traditional Catholic prayers that I found that are applicable to my family life and everyday needs.   If you are not Catholic or don’t care, just skip this post.   But if you need a little inspiration, read on…maybe one will strike you as something you need to add to your prayer routine.   If you need a prayer for a particular need, check out Catholic Online.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Prayer for Aborted Babies
Heavenly Father,
Thou hast given us the gift of freedom
to love and to follow in Thy ways and commands.
Some parents choose to abuse this freedom
by destroying the gift of life
which Thou hast given to their offspring.
Please forgive those who destroy human life
by aborting their unborn babies.
Give these unborn children the opportunity
to enjoy Thee for all eternity,
if it according to Thy ordinance.
Assist me in being one in solidarity with Thy little ones
by taking to heart the words of Thy Son,
“whatever you did for one of these least brothers of Mine,
you did for Me.” (Mt. 25:40)
Therefore, allow me today, Father,
to adopt spiritually an unborn child
and to offer my prayers, works,
joys and sufferings for that little one,
so that child will be able to be born and live
for Thy greater honor and glory.
We pray this in Jesus’ name,
in union with the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer for Our Family
O dear Jesus,
I humbly implore You to grant Your special graces to our family.
May our home be the shrine of peace, purity, love, labor and faith.
I beg You, dear Jesus, to protect and bless all of us, absent and present, living
and dead.

O Mary,
loving Mother of Jesus,
and our Mother,
pray to Jesus for our family,
for all the families of the world,
to guard the cradle of the newborn,
the schools of the young and their vocations.

Blessed Saint Joseph,
holy guardian of Jesus and Mary,
assist us by your prayers
in all the necessities of life.
Ask of Jesus that special grace
which He granted to you,
to watch over our home
at the pillow of the sick and the dying,
so that with Mary and with you,
heaven may find our family unbroken
in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Amen.

Prayer for the Home
Visit, we beseech Thee, O Lord, this dwelling, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; let Thy holy Angels dwell herein, to preserve us in peace; and let Thy blessing be upon us forever. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Guardian Angel
Angel of God,
my Guardian dear,
to whom His love
commits me here,
ever this day (or night)
be at my side,
to light and guard,
to rule and guide.
Amen.

Wife’s Prayer
O merciful Lord God, who in the beginning didst take Eve out of the side of Adam and didst give her to him as a helpmate: grant me grace to live worthy of the honorable estate of matrimony to which Thou hast called me, that I may love my husband with a pure and chaste love, acknowledging him as my head, and truly reverencing and obeying him in all good things; that thereby I may please him, and live with him in all Christian serenity. Keep me from all worldliness and vanity. Help me, O Lord, that I may, under him, prudently and discreetly guide and govern his household. Let no fault of mine aggravate any sins by which he may be especially tempted; enable me to soothe him in perplexity, to cheer him in difficulty, to refresh him in weariness, and, as far as may be, to advise him in doubt. [Give me understanding so to fulfil my part in the education of our children, that they may be our joy in this world and our glory in the next.] Grant that our perfect union here may be the beginning of the still more perfect and blissful union hereafter in Thy kingdom; and this I pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Children:

A Mother’s Prayer to the Guardian Angels of her children
I humbly salute you, O you faithful, heavenly Friends of my children! I give you heartfelt thanks for all the love and goodness you show them. At some future day I shall, with thanks more worthy than I can now give, repay your care for them, and before the whole heavenly court acknowledge their indebtedness to your guidance and protection. Continue to watch over them. Provide for all their needs of body and soul. Pray, likewise, for me, for my husband, and my whole family, that we may all one day rejoice in your blessed company. Amen.

A Parent’s Prayer for their Children
O Heavenly Father,
I commend my children unto Thee.
Be Thou their God and Father;
and mercifully supply whatever is wanting in me
through frailty or negligence.
Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world,
to resist all solicitations to evil,
whether from within or without;
and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy.
Pour Thy grace into their hearts,
and confirm and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit,
that they may daily grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ;
and so, faithfully serving Thee here,
may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter.
Amen.

Prayer of Spouse’s for Each Other
Lord Jesus, grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another’s weaknesses and grow from each other’s strengths. Help us to forgive one another’s failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self.

May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection. Amen.

What devotions do you like and/or do frequently?   Share your tips in the comments!

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A weird epiphany…

Well, maybe it’s not really an epiphany, but I don’t know what else to call it.  It’s been a profound kind of weekend for both Bones AND I.

Anyway, I’ve been reading two books this break.   First, I’ve been reading Problogger‘s 31 Days to a Better Blog e-book.  Concurrently, I’ve been reading a Mother’s Rule of Life.  I thumbed through Problogger’s book over the last week and started working on my elevator speech on the drive to my family’s on Wednesday.

While I was refining the purpose of my blog for the elevator speech, I ended up tying it in with the MROL to redefine my purpose.   I don’t know that any of you (all 4 of you :D ) will notice a difference in the types of content per se, but there may be less as I am trying to balance life with internet.   I feel differently about it and I’m hoping that it will come out in more quality posts and writing.

Anyway, I just felt the need get that out.

In other news, the 31 days to a better blog ebook ROCKS!   I’m going to LOVE  working on the exercises.   Go check it out.    Also, I’m going to be having a Mother’s Rule of Life book study starting in January.  I’ll make a bigger announcement after I figure out how to make a non-hideous button for it :)    Wish me luck!

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30 Day Giving Challenge – Week 4

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More growing opportunities this week!  I sent out a donation, gave some money to a Salvation Army bell ringer, did some things for my grandmother on Thanksgiving, and a few other things that aren’t coming to mind right now.  I’m SURE that I did better this week than last.

I had an interesting thing happen that I didn’t expect.  We had planned on going to my family’s for Thanksgiving and I called to ask my grandmother if we could stay at her house.  She has always said we were welcome and was looking forward to seeing Lil Bit.  My dad had to cancel the big shindig at their house because his wife had to work and so we were going to be at grandma’s the whole time.   I brought over a ham dinner from the grocery store — ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, egg nog, rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberry relish, beer and a tin of popcorn.

I thought that it might help since she wouldn’t have to cook so much and I know that she is on a tighter budget than we are, i think, and I wanted to be helpful.  I brought flowers, too.   She didn’t seem to be happy about it.   She didn’t seem to be happy that we came either (and I got that impression when I called her the week before). I’m not sure what the deal was.  All I can do is pray about it.

Have any ideas?   Feel the need to pray? — I’d appreciate it :) .

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