Yesterday I pulled an epic prank on my kids. I told them that if a police officer came to the house or contacted them to tell him I was with them all day. I’m not good at pranks or lying and so for me to pull one over on them is pretty awesome. The sheer thought of me doing something so terrible that a police … Continue reading The Alibi Prank Part 2: The Lesson Learned
Yesterday I stood in a courtroom ready to defend my worthiness to be in the life of my granddaughter. It’s an odd thing having to think about why you should be allowed in someone’s life and how their well-being is at risk because you aren’t there. I certainly didn’t wish to toot my own horn, but I also didn’t want to leave anything out that … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 38
If you are like me, most mornings when you wake up you have high hopes for the day. It’s a fresh start and you haven’t messed anything up yet. Of course, if you are also like me, those hopes often come crashing down in a matter of moments when I lose my cool, remember the stresses in my life, feel overwhelmed, or encounter resistance within … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 37: The Holy Moment
Last night all my children were home for the evening to have Sunday supper with us. It was pretty late when we ate because my oldest son didn’t get off work until then, but it was important to us to be able to include him. It’s only been in recent months that we have been able to be a family once again. And even then … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 35: Complete Joy
In my graduate studies I am taking a Hebrew Scriptures course. I’ll be honest and tell you that prior this past semester I hadn’t read a lot of the Old Testament. I hear it at Mass each week and I know many of the stories by heart and enjoy Psalms and Proverbs immensely. But as a Christian who focuses on Christ as the fulfillment of … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 32: The Real Problem
A few years ago I was asked to give a talk with several other speakers. Those invited to speak were given lines from the Our Father. Together our talks would give meaning and insight into the prayer we all know so well. I was eager to get my lines and I prayed that the Holy Spirit would bless me with just the right ones. I … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 31: Man’s Ways and God’s Ways
The world is a mess. We only have to flip through the news channels or read online to know that it seems the world is falling apart. We consistently look around us and wonder who will be the one to fix it all. I wrote about this last summer when I talked about making America great again. We mistakenly look to politicians to make everything … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 29: Dancing for Joy
Maybe you are wondering why this day’s reflection is going up a day late. It actually has to do with the chapter’s title- Deny Yourself. I decided that yesterday I would deny myself getting on the computer to work, to write, or to be on social media. Instead, in what would have been my normal time to write, I spent that time planting flowers and … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 27: Deny Yourself
For many years I felt called to veil at Mass. I ignored that calling for a long, long time. After all, no one else in my parish veiled and I already stuck out like a sore thumb because of how big our family is and I didn’t need to draw any more attention to myself. Still God beckoned me. I dug my heels in and … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 23: Upside Down
As a mother I always worry about what people my children hang out with. Will they espouse the same values and morals that we do? Will they encourage them to step away from their faith? Will they treat them like a prize instead of the priceless treasure they truly are? I suppose I worry a lot about this because I see what our society … Continue reading Journey to Rediscover Jesus Day 18: Jesus on Lifestyle
tales from the side of the tub 