Out in the Country

For the past 6 months I have been living out in the country on the farm where I grew up. Very soon we will be moving into our house and whereas I am so excited, I will miss being out here.  I simply love it.  It is so peaceful and tranquil.  Seeing the night sky in all its glory from horizon to horizon never gets old.  Nor does looking at all the beautiful trees that my grandpa and dad have planted over the years.  I remember when I was younger, I hated it.  I was so far from my friends and it took FOREVER to get to town.  In the summer, I would get to go to town once a week, for Church, and we would do everything in one trip so we didn't have to go back.  During the week my friends would be going to the pool and I would have to stay home and tend to the garden.  Of course now, I am so grateful for the blessing of growing up among such beauty.  Out here, it is so easy to see and speak to God.

Here are some pictures I took these past 6 months.

The sunset down our driveway.



This screams summer in the country to me.

I don't know why I love this one so much.

Old school machinery.

 

And of course my cute little Dominic. 

He is sitting in front of an old windmill that blew over in a violent storm when I was little.  It was beautiful when standing, still is, now overgrown with raspberries and weeds.

Someday, be it God's will, I hope to end up back out in the country.



To Keep a Tidy Home

It has been 6 months, six long months since I've had a home of my own to tend to and take care of. Our house is almost ready, and I'm so excited to be moving in and have a place of our own again, but there is one thing that looms on the horizon...dun dun dun...housework! Cleaning, dishes, cooking, laundry, yard work, etc. I don't loathe doing all those things, like cooking! I love to cook and am anticipating the day soon when I once again fire up my crock pot (best invention ever! don't tell the shamwow I said that). Since I know how I have been in the past, I seem to let things get away from me. Now I have grandiose ideas of how I am going to keep with it all and stay organized. For instance I am going to have a chore calendar for myself- do certain chores on certain days every week. Like instead of tackling cleaning the whole house in one day (which is what I stupidly do), I hope to dedicate a room to each day of the week! Anyway, I say "grandiose" because it is going to take serious dedication for me to stick with it. BUT no matter what ideas I come up with, it is all for naught if I don't offer my day to Heaven. Our Lady of Schoenstatt has taught me to say, "Blessed mother, help me get done today what Heaven wills." I often forget this, perhaps I should write it on my kitchen wall. I also found this prayer recently which I love!

Lord Jesus,

You chose to come to earth and share our human condition,

and You lived as the Son of a simple humble carpenter.

You knew what it was like to work,

assisting Joseph in the carpenter shop

and helping Mary in the home.

Grant me, I beg You, the grace and humility,

perseverance and fidelity I need to fulfill my daily duties. 

Remind me, as often as necessary, that there are no small jobs,

But only small and mistaken attitudes,

and show me how everything I do can bring me closer to Your kingdom.

I offer You all the chores and duties,

labor and efforts,

And successes and failures of this day.

Please make them holy, that they may be a source of glory or You 

and a source of grace for me.  Amen.   

I would love your ideas and suggestions. How do you stay organized and keep a tidy home?

Remembering Ellen

Yesterday (Oct 19) was the 1 year anniversary of the due date for our first child. Though she was only with us for a few short months before the miscarriage, I think about her often. It was so exciting to be pregnant with our first, and of course we expected everything would go perfect. It was devastating when it didn't turn out that way.  One moment I was pregnant, and then I wasn't. I found myself still dreaming about what it would be like to hold her, and what she would have looked like every day. At first people were very supportive but then I guess they figured I moved on, but I hadn't. Even to this day whenever I mention her I can tell people don't know what to think. I am so blessed to have my husband Geoffrey, who mourned with me.  For months, we were sustained by praying the rosary together and going to frequent adoration. It drew us much closer to one another and to God, and for that I am so grateful to Ellen. Dominic will grow up to know about his big sister in Heaven. I know she is praying for us as we always ask for her intercession and because of her, we will receive such graces! Thank you God for her brief, but precious life. I can't wait to meet her one day, I'm sure she is beautiful!

In memory of Ellen Mary Wells (Also known as B-Dub).

All Yours

Lyrics:
I am Yours by St Gemma and Dacia Wells

I am Yours o Jesus.  I am Yours o Jesus.

But You have good reason to complain about me yes I have offended You.

And, undeserving as I am,

I should be obliged

to give back to the Altar

so many stolen Breads, and so much precious Blood.

But I promise You that I will make amends.

Open Your heart to me Open Your heart to me

I wish to place all my affections there

Jesus I love thee, Jesus I love thee

Open Your heart and I open mine to You.

By why do You act towards me with so much love?

While I offend You with countless ingratitudes?

This thought alone, if I could but comprehend

should be enough to turn me into a furnace of love.

Open Your heart to me Open Your heart to me

I wish to place all my affections there

Jesus I love thee, Jesus I love thee

Open Your heart and I open mine to You.
Is it not an irresistible love to love Him who is not angry with one who

always offends Him so? O Jesus, if I only considered attentively Your

immense love for me, how greatly I should excel in every virtue! Pardon me,

O Jesus, so much carelessness; pardon such great ignorance. My God!

Jesus my love, infinite Goodness!

What would have become of me if You had not drawn me to Thee?

Open Your Heart!

This was recorded about a year ago at Daniel's Den.  I wanted to put up a new vid but our good video camera is somewhere in a box, where I do not know. Doh! Anyway this is a song I put together of the beautiful word of St Gemma Galgani. She is my favorite Saint because of her immense love for Jesus, and someday I will share how she clawed her way into my life. St Gemma, Pray for us!

Here I go...

Well after years of wanting to start a blog, finally the time has arrived.  I'm not really sure what this will be, but I promise it will involve my music, a cute little baby boy, a wonderful husband, a little humor, and most of all, my faith. 

The name of my blog (Praying Twice) is derived from the famous St Augustine quote "He who sings prays twice." I love to sing! I do it all the time, in fact today whilst watching the Bears play (or attempting to play) my family and I turned the game into an Opera.  I assure you it was Tony worthy, well at least Youtube worthy. When I'm not singing Da Bears Opera, I sing old Church hymns or original songs that have flowed from the depths out of my Catholic heart. More than just loving to sing though. it is a prayer. It is a way God speaks to me and I to Him. And since the goal is to make my life a prayer, I guess I could say that my life is a song.  My life is full of joy and I hope to share a little of that with anyone who is willing to listen, err, read. Welcome to it.