Moved By Grace

2015 Curriculum Sale

2015-06-19T11:07:00.001-07:00

I don't really blog on here any more, but wanted to link up with Shower of Roses' Curriculum Sale to see if I can pass along any of my curriculum that we no longer use!

Please email me at kplato7 (@) gmail with what you are interested in or any questions. Shipping will be $5 for up to five books, and $7 for sets or more than five books. Once something has sold, I will cross it out, so it will no longer be available.

**The comments section doesn't work, so please just email me! Thanks!

***UPDATED**** New Items I forgot to add originally!!

Art 1 for Young Catholics $5
Sound Beginnings Set - Book, worksheets, cards $35
Learning Centers throughout the Year $5
~~Mommy, It's a Renoir! $10~~
Songs, Action Rhymes, and Fingerplays $3
Animal Piggyback Songs $2

Only Sight Words book is left - $1

Balancing Literacy - A Balanced Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction $5
Ready Readers Stage 1 (Big book of readers combined in one) $3
Holiday Crossword Puzzles $1
Holiday Puzzle Book $1

Fix-It and Forget It Big Cookbook $5
Crazy About Crockery $2
Total Money Makeover $3
Hallmark My Little Book of Big Firsts for Girls $3

Saxon Math K - good condition, back cover is coming off, but everything else is great! - $10
"~~What is" series~~ - set of 7 books, sold as a set - $5

Preschool Wise - $3
Building Her House - $3
Don't Make me Count to Three! - $3
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers - $3
The Toddlers Busy Book - $3
The Preschoolers Busy Book - $3
Parent's Answer Book - $1
~~Slow and Steady Get Me Ready - $4~~

Faith and Life Series Teachers Guides (New) - $15 each
~~Credo: I Believe~~
~~Jesus Our Life~~
~~Jesus Our Guide~~
~~Our Life With Jesus~~
Who Am I?

Faith and Life Series Workbooks and Reading books (New) - $5 each
~~Who Am I - K~~
~~Our Life with Jesus Reading and Workbook~~
Our Heavenly Father
~~Jesus our Life workbook~~
~~Credo:I Believe~~
Jesus our Guide
~~Family Guide~~

Thanks, and email me with any questions!

Convinced the Movie

2014-10-12T14:23:00.001-07:00

What a great project. As converts tell their story of becoming Catholic, may we be encouraged to strengthen our faith, ask hard questions, and follow truth, wherever it may lead. The first step to looking for truth is humility - acknowledging that we don't have the truth in our pocket, acknowledging that we may be wrong and God may have more to teach us.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/convinced

Please consider supporting this project.

Family Road Trip

2014-06-24T21:08:00.003-07:00

Our family is in the process of taking an epic roadtrip around the country, so there won't be many posts on here, but if you want to follow our adventures, visit our family blog at: http://justalittleplato.blogspot.com/

Proclaiming from the Mountaintop

2014-05-22T08:25:00.001-07:00

Every morning, I sit in my chair with a cup of coffee, say my morning prayers and then read the news while I wait for the girls to wake up. Lately, I have been chasing our sweet little toddler boy who is now walking and into everything. During these brief moments, when I have a chance to catch up on the greater world outside my little bubble, I am increasingly disturbed at what is going on in our world today. Kidnapped girls being held hostage, teachers sexually abusing students, parents murdering their children, threats of war, and here, in my own state of Oregon, a federal judge overturned the ban on gay marriage, violating Oregon voters. As a mother, it frightens me to think of the world my children and grandchildren are going to be living in. Our future as a nation is bleak as we become more and more secularized and morally deadened.

As the outer world becomes more overwhelming to process, I reflect on my own tiny little world here at home. If I were to write our family news, I would write tales of humor and joy, along with tales of trials and sickness. But the biggest news here, one that I want to cry from the mountaintops is that our little girl received her first Holy Communion. It was our first one, our oldest daughter, and maybe it has something to do with me not coming from a Catholic background, but this was one of the most amazing and newsworthy events I have had in a long time. It was right up there with the birth of our son. It was beautiful, it was profound, and I was rejoicing with all the choirs of angels. Forget that I was peeking in from the back of the church, having briefly snuck in from the narthex, where I was barely surviving Mass with two very sick children. I hadn't slept for a long time; our four year old had pneumonia and couldn't stop coughing, and I was trying to keep a very sick Edmund quiet as well. Forget that I was that tired, strung out mama with sick little ones in tow - watching our daughter receive the Body of the Lord in the Eucharist was a moment to rejoice.

While this outside world becomes more frightening by the day, I do fear for our children and the world they are inheriting. But at the same time, we are writing our own news history, right here in our little home. In a way, this news is far bigger than what the outside world has to offer; here there is news of sickness, health, trials, and triumphs. As Chesterton says in his essay on Fathers and Mothers, "For anyone who makes himself responsible for one small baby, as a whole, will soon find that he is wrestling with gigantic angels and demons....The place where babies are born, where men die, where the drama of mortal life is acted, is not an office or a shop or a bureau. It is something much smaller in size and much larger in scope." In our little tiny life inside the home, the whole of life is being lived, and fought, on a spiritual level. So I share good news with you today, proclaiming from the mountaintop with joy in my heart, "My little girl received the Eucharist for the first time!!!" Your battle has begun, little Miriam, take rest in the hearts of Jesus and Mary, and receive the Eucharist often, you will need it as you fight the battles of this world.

Fashion at the Mall

2014-05-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I ended up at the mall by myself, with four kids in tow. I won't share all the details of how I ended up in this horrific place, with all four of my kids, but it had something to do with a desperate need for Easter/First Communion sandals, no babysitter, and a coupon that was going to expire.

So here I was, baby loaded in the stroller, three girls hanging on, making a beeline for Payless Shoes, while I was futilely attempting to distract them from the giant airbrushed woman wearing nothing but a bra and too much makeup. That's when we saw her.....a woman, shopping with her teenage daughter, dressed like her teenage daughter. They were both wearing nothing more than long shirts (I don't think this can be qualified as a dress) - with nothing underneath them. This was a normal-looking woman, she didn't look crazy or homeless, but if the slightest breeze were to come along, well, I would see much more than any stranger should see.... I couldn't help myself, but I stopped to stare. Here was a 45 year old woman, with a teenage daughter, walking around in public, dressed like some sort of European coverlet. I was brought out of my reverie by my three-year-old who said, "mama, why isn't that lady wearing pants?" Umm.....I'm not sure dear.....

It seems as though the modern woman's fashion goal is to look like a teenager. There is no longer a difference in how a female of 5, 15, 25, and 45 dresses. Little girls no longer dress like little girls, and mothers no longer dress like distinguished women; instead teenage culture has won out. Now that our seven year old Miriam has graduated out of toddler girls clothes, it has been extremely difficult to find her modest clothing. Shirts display her midriff and have slogans like "Brat" and "Spoiled" splashed across them, jeans are skin tight with jeweled designs all over the bottom, and high boots are the norm. Little girls no longer look like innocent little children, but like fashionable teenagers, ready to conquer the world with a sexy attitude.

The average teenage girl has tremendous pressure put on her. In this age group, more than any other, the idea is put on a young woman that she needs to look a certain way. Today's style compounds this problem. I see young girls at church in shockingly short dresses, uncomfortably pulling them down, and see-through shirts with nothing underneath them than a colored bra. We tell girls that their worth is not found in their appearance, and to look for a man who will love them for who they are, but at the same time, we are training them to be materialistic Barbie dolls who must have the latest fashion regardless of how scandalous it may be. And how can a mother tell her daughter to dress modestly when she herself is parading around in the same fashion?

Ladies, where is our sense of dignity? More and more I see older women, who are afraid to look their age. Aging used to be a sign of wisdom and beauty. Those who had weathered the world and now have sage advice to offer were crowned with a head of silver hair and the dignity of wrinkled skin. Today, we see aging as something to be avoided at all costs. The old are worthless, soon to be hidden away from the rest of the world in a home where they won't be a bother. As far as any wisdom to offer? Forget that, we have the internet. We don't embrace aging, instead we do all that we can to look young, even when it means dressing like sexy teenagers.

Modesty, dignity, and grace are no longer words that enter into our fashion vocabulary. Instead, we look for provocative, sexy, and trendy. This lady in the mall was trendy and provocative, to be sure - the mother of a teenage daughter, looking "good enough" to show long legs and an extremely short dress, but there certainly was no dignity and respect. Mothers, we need to be examples to our little girls that our bodies are sacred and ought to be clothed in womanly grace, not displayed for all the world. As we get older, our sense of grace and dignity should increase in our fashion. Our little girls are looking up to us, they are going to dress and act like their mothers. This does not mean that we can't look fashionable by any means! Fashion does not equate the latest and greatest style reflected in pop culture. Teenage culture mirrors pop culture and Miley Cyrus certainly isn't worth emulating. Instead, our fashion should reflect a beauty and maturity of heart. Let's be examples of dignified women with the wisdom to cover up and display true the timeless grace and beauty that only a woman can.

An Extraordinary Day

2014-04-26T11:38:00.002-07:00

Catholics around the world are anxiously awaiting the canonization of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII that will take place tomorrow in Rome. The excitement can be felt all around, even in the non-Catholic world, as every major news source starts reporting on this unprecedented event. As a new Catholic, I am enjoying taking it all in. I confess, I don't have relationship with these Popes that many of our Catholic friends do, simply because I don't have the history, and haven't grown up knowing about these amazing men. I love listening to our dear friend Leonard talk about Pope John Paul II, the fondness and love apparent in his eyes. Leonard can perfectly recall the day that Karol Józef Wojtyła was elected as Pope. He remember where he was and how he felt. I don't have those memories, but I can say, that today is still an extraordinary day.

Pope John Paul II embodies much of why I became Catholic. On our journey into the Catholic faith, I realized that a religion needs to have a voice that is relevant in the world today, a living and active voice that can speak to current issues. Being very practically minded, this was a key for me. Growing up Protestant, this was missing. Where was the voice speaking about abortion, contraception, and the attack on the family? Sure, Bible verses could be procured to "speak" to a certain issue, but those weren't enough, and the world certainly doesn't listen. When the Catholic Church speaks, whether or not everyone agrees, the world listens. As a new mother, battling the pressures of a hostile society towards mothers, I was desparate for encouragment and help in thinking about my new vocation. I needed to hear that it was acceptable for me to give up my career, and to embrace my true womanhood, which lies in the profound ability to be a mother. I started reading the writings of Pope John Paul II on motherhood and the family, and they touched my soul like nothing else had. I still can't read the following quote without getting tears in my eyes:

"Motherhood involves a special communion with the mystery of life, as it develops in the mother’s womb. The mother is filled with wonder at this mystery of life, and ‘understands’ with unique intuition what is happening inside her. In the light of the ‘beginning’, the mother accepts and loves as a person the child she is carrying in her womb. This unique contact with the new human being developing within her gives rise to an attitude towards human beings – not only towards her own child, but every human being – which profoundly marks the woman’s personality.”

Alas! Here was a voice, speaking to me in my current state as a new mother, overwhelmed by the mystery of life. He spoke about family, marriage, and children in a way that I had never experienced, but was saturated with profound truth. I don't have the relationship with these Popes like those who have grown up Catholic, but for me, they embody the truth of the Catholic Church. They are indeed, holy men, saints, who have been the voice of Christ in this secular world. We will celebrate tomorrow, attempting to pass on the legacy of family and Catholicism to our little ones, so that when they are 60, they can recall with fondness the day that two Popes were added to the Communion of Saints.

**I want to share with you all an amazing essay written by a dear friend and scholar on Pope John Paul II and his teachings on marriage and family. It is worth reading! Read it here.

Babies for Power?

2014-04-25T08:19:00.002-07:00

Two days ago, a story broke that hit close to home. It was about a power plant here in Oregon, near our old home, that was using "medical waste" to produce power. That medical waste possibly/probably included the remains of aborted babies. (Read the story here.) Thankfully, the Marion County Commissioners called an emergency meeting the following day and immediately put a halt to this practice until an investigation could rule out the use of babies in the waste that is being used. I am so thankful for these commissioners who took this seriously and were appalled by thought of using the corpses of babies to produce power here in Oregon. (Read about their reaction here.)

As if the story itself was not appalling enough, I was flabbergasted at the general reaction of the public. It was a story that was one of the most shared and commented on that the local news has had in a long time (if not ever!), but the most common reaction was one of "who cares? What are they supposed to do with the babies anyway, at least they are being put to use." One person actually wrote, "well, it's better than putting them in a landfill." What I saw as a disgusting and appalling practice was simply seen as a good use of resources in our utilitarian society. I spent the morning reading through comments, becoming increasingly disgusted by the public reaction. Some people even made puns like, "burn baby, burn." Our nation is in a bad place, we are a nation that doesn't respect life; when we think that the practice of incinerating babies for the production of power is acceptable, we are not that far off from Nazi Germany.

What has led us down this path of complete and total disregard for life? We have come to regard babies as lumps of tissue, or "medical waste." This terminology has to be used when referring to aborted fetuses because if we call them what they are - dead babies - then all of a sudden there is a problem with abortion. Abortion advocates don't want to acknowledge what is truly going on - the murdering of the innocent, so they change the language to eliminate any guilt that may be involved. But there is an issue that goes even deeper than the practice of abortion, and that is how we have come to regard sex in the first place. Sex is now something that "everyone does", strictly for their own pleasure. Look at the magazine headlines in the grocery store, advertising ways to "Be Better in Bed," and "Top 25 Moves that Will Blow His Mind." Our culture is obsessed with sex. Even Christians who limit sex to marriage regard it as something that is done for our own pleasure, separated from the procreation of children. Sex and procreation no longer go hand in hand, the way that God intended, and it has been made simple by birth control. Look at any graph or study, and there is direct correlation between a society's use of birth control and their abortion rates. They go hand in hand.

America, we have lost all respect for life and for anything sacred. There is nothing more sacred than a human life, a soul, formed in the womb by a loving God. Throwing babies away by abortion so that we may live a life free from the responsibilities of a child is a travesty. Turning the corpses of these babies into electricity so that we can power our phones, video games, and computers is the ultimate disrespect to the life that God has given us. We should be horrified by this. We must fight against this utilitarian society that is only concerned with our own pleasure. Thank you Marion County Commissioners for your respect for life.

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." ~Blessed Mother Teresa

Catholic, Three Years Later

2014-04-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

At this time every year, I feel compelled to reflect upon our time of being Catholic. We have
officially been Catholic for three years; it has been the hardest three years of my life, but also some of the best three years, where I have learned, grown, and experienced tremendous joy.

Relationships
The first six months after our conversion were some of the most difficult times. I felt the profound divide that had occurred between myself and almost everyone that I was close to. My family was devastated, my friends thought it was strange, and my new Catholic family just didn't know the pain that I was experiencing. I felt very alone. Have our relationships improved? Yes and no. Most of our friends have accepted our decision, but it has caused a divide. We have formed many new friendships and have started to feel a part of the Catholic community at large. Things with our family are easier in the sense that there is an acceptance on both sides. I no longer feel that I need to hide our faith: I know they don't like it, don't understand it, and it makes them feel uncomfortable, but there is an acceptance that wasn't there before. Some of our family members enjoy discussing Catholicism with us, and with others, there is a sense of resignation. There is and probably always will be a deep feeling of bitterness and betrayal, but we are learning to deal with that. For those of you who are struggling through issues surrounding your conversion, it will get better! There is a deep peace that comes with the grace of the Sacraments, a peace that will comfort wounded hearts.

Sacraments
I became Catholic for intellectual reasons. I knew there needed to be an authority within the Church. I knew sola scriptura didn't work. I knew there needed to be a voice that could be heard in the world today, voice that comes from a living body, that can speak to the issues that are going on today. I had studied many of the church teachings on saints, Mary, the Pope, and salvation. I certainly don't pretend to have a full understanding of them, but I knew that I didn't disagree. I can honestly say that I didn't become Catholic for the Eucharist. Now, three years later, receiving the Eucharist has been the most profound change I have experienced. In all of my studies, I knew that Catholics believed that the Eucharist was the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, but I didn't know what that meant. I still fully don't. This is what separates the Catholic Church from all the rest of the churches out there. Communion, the Lord's Supper, or whatever it may be called in a particular denomination is not the same as the Catholic Eucharist. There is power and grace in receiving this "great Sacrament." If the claims of the Catholic Church are true, there is something amazing, glorious, and profound that happens on the altar at every Mass. At the Last Supper, Jesus said, "this is Body, given up for you and for many. Do this for the remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) The Catholic Church takes this verse literally.

Receiving this Sacrament faithfully for over three years now has evoked change in me. There is grace in the Sacraments - real, tangible grace. The Eucharist is body of our Lord. It ought to cause us to fall down in worship before it. I wasn't prepared for the power of the Sacrifice of the Mass. This is what church is all about. Church is not about the sermon, what I learned, or what songs I sang and how I felt while singing them, it is about the Body of Christ, given up for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. It is about participating in the great liturgy with all of heaven and earth. It is about the cross, and the sacrifice that took place there. I can now say, "the Eucharist, that is why I'm Catholic."

"Since Christ Himself has said, "This is My Body" who shall dare to doubt that It is His Body?"
-St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Four Children Later...

2014-03-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

My baby turned one a few days ago, and as I lament time gone too fast, I have been compiling a list on what I have learned about life with four kids:

When I was pregnant with number 4, people often commented that four was much easier than three. It's not. Nick and I are completely outnumbered, 2 to 1. There are times when we just sit back and laugh with a giant, "Alright children! You win!"
There isn't a quiet or dull moment. Ever.
I have been waiting for the day when I have all four children crying at the same time. It has yet to come. Three kids crying, yes, that is a regular occurrence. But all four? I don't know why, but the kids haven't orchestrated that one yet.
Sitting down for a peaceful cup of coffee is a far off dream. It is one of the laws of the universe that as soon as I sit down, someone will need something. Every. Single. Time.
There is a lot of love to go around. One of my greatest joys has been to watch my children interact with each other. There was a tiny part of me that wondered if my new baby would get enough love or be neglected with all of the other activity. Nope. This little guy is the most loved member of the family. Every little milestone he reaches is celebrated and noted by his older siblings. Love is lavished on him, and he spreads his own love as well.
I don't need to exercise to burn calories. Running around meeting the ever-constant needs of these kiddos is enough.
Another law of the universe: My entire house will never be clean. I clean one room, move onto the next, and within 10 minutes, the kids will have moved into the first room and set up a fort. Or a store. Kids gravitate towards the cleanest area in the house. And that is never their own room. Ever.
I have laughed more as a parent than ever before. Who doesn't laugh when you look out the window and see your children stripped down to their underwear singing "London Bridge" and doing cartwheels?
Third law of the universe: There isn't a meal in the world that I can make that everyone will like. The kid who liked it the night before will hate it the second night, and the kid who hated it the first night will loudly declare, "I love it!!" the second time through.
Parenting four children is exhausting. I have never worked harder, but I have never been more content. There is nothing more fulfilling than being a parent. The kids are my life and my joy. Children ARE life. They are a constant reminder that there is good left in this world. They are a constant reminder that my life is not about me or my own comfort. Life is about pouring yourself out for others. And as my living room is currently being turned into a doll park, they remind me that this brief moment of writing is DONE!

Education is a Life

2014-03-11T16:04:00.001-07:00

As I enter into the final stretch of our homeschooling year, (or the last minute panic of "hurry and get everything done before summer!!"), I begin the process of evaluating what we have covered this year and what is left to accomplish. This of course is met with a sinking feeling in my stomach as the doubts creep in, and I convince myself that my children are behind and I have completely messed up their education. The irrationality subsides, and I go back to the basics and ask myself the important questions - why do I homeschool and what is education?

Education is not a set of facts, or a certain amount of prescribed knowledge. As much as our politicians would have us believe that education can simply be reduced to a "Common Core" set of knowledge that all students must know in order to be considered "educated," education is far beyond this knowledge. A truly educated person will love reading, writing, listening and speaking. A truly educated person loves to think and discover new ideas. A truly educated person will find the world interesting. A truly educated individual may not know all of the facts found in Common Core, but will be intimate with the facts they do know. Simply spouting off dates, facts, and information is not education, but loving Laura Ingalls Wilder, knowing her life story, reading her books over and over again, and being fascinated with pioneer life is. Education is not completing a work book and a curriculum, for curriculum's can be completed without ever touching the student's heart. That is why I home educate my children, I want them not only to learn facts, but to love what they are learning. I want them to have wonder and fascination with the world around them and desire to continue to learn about this world far outside of the realm of the school day. At our house, school does not stop when we are done with our school work, school is our life. School is first thing in the morning during story time, school is completing our morning chores, getting our baby brother ready for the day, preparing lunch, and on our evening walks. The learning never ends, nor is it confined to the mundane aspects of the school day, for those are a necessary part of education. Life is education, education is life.

Herein lies my love of Charlotte Mason and her philosophy of education. In her book Home Education, she says, "The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have a generous curriculum. But the mind is not a receptacle into which ideas must be dropped, each idea adding to to an 'apperception mass' of it like....on the contrary, a child's mind is no mere sac to hold ideas; rather, a spiritual organism with an appetite for all knowledge." (Home Education, preface) She goes on to talk about the role of the parent in the education of a child. When children are tiny babies, our entire world revolved around meeting their needs: feeding, changing, rocking, and loving them. As they grow older, we continually take delight in all that they do. We are currently experiencing this phase with our little man right now. He turns one in a few days, and everything he does is delightful. The entire family claps and cheers he learns to say "mama," gives high fives, and starts to brave his first steps. We are enamored with his every movement. As our children age, this slowly wears off. We love our children to be sure, but our focus tends to wear off. We sigh with relief when the four year old can finally dress themselves and put their own coat on. Our seven year old is pretty self sufficient, and often gets over looked by us busy parents. This is precisely what Charlotte Mason talks about when she says, "Father and mother have no greater delight than to watch the individuality of their child unfold as a flower unfolds. But Othello loses his occupation. The more the child shapes his own course, the less do the parents find to do, beyond feeding him with food convenient, whether of love, or thought, or of bodily meat and drink." (Home Education, p. 4)

Yet this is where our job as educators really begins, when a child reaches the age of 5, 6, 7 and beyond. Children are filled with curiosity and wonder, questions and ideas. We as parents play a vital role in this stage of education, for we must provide them with delightful ideas, beautiful words, pictures, and music, and a sense of wonder to feed their souls. They are hungry for knowledge, and we can either fan this flame or stamp it out. "Nothing is trivial that concerns a child; his foolish seeming words and ways are pregnant with meaning for the wise. It is in the infinitely little we must study the infinitely great; and the vast possibilities, and the right direction of education, are indicated in the open book of the little child's thoughts." (Home Education, p. 5)

As I evaluate this year, and yes, still work to finish what needs to be done, I thank Charlotte Mason for her reminders that my job does not end with the school year or completion of a work book, but that my children are ready to embark on the most important phase of their education - and I must travel with them.

After Some Quiet Reflection

2014-03-02T13:42:00.000-08:00

Breathe in. Breathe out. I just took a huge, deep breath of relief, and it was refreshing, so very refreshing. Taking this time off from blogging was just that - a huge relief. I gained some perspective, and took away one more responsibility clouding my already overloaded brain. Here I sit, six months later, my baby is almost one year old, and, dare I say it....I am getting regular sleep at night. My brain has cleared, my body has healed, and I look forward entering a new chapter of writing.

As I look back at some of my last posts, I find a common theme regarding being overwhelmed at the internet, this virtual reality we all place ourselves in. This criticism still remains. As modern Americans, we have changed the way we interact with each other, our communication, our relationships, the way we think, and our reality. Have we ever stopped to think just how our constant "connection" to our computers, tablets, and phones is literally changing who we are? Technology has officially dominated our society. What would life be like without Facebook, email, Instagram, Twitter, and our phones? What on earth would we do? Who would we talk to, and *gasp* what would we miss?

When I think about my life without the internet, it is difficult to think about being without this luxury. Daily, I communicate with my friends via the web, print off homeschooling resources, read the news, upload pictures, find dinner recipes, and literally waste up to two hours everyday updating myself on the lives of my friends. What would I do? I believe that we are addicted to the internet. We are addicted to having instant access and information. We are addicted to knowing real time news. We are addicted to keeping up on the details of each others lives while posting the details of our own; it is changing who we are and how we think. If I wasn't spending my quiet mornings surfing the internet, I would read a book, spend longer in prayer, and have a free lap to welcome a child who just woke up. I don't have a Smartphone, I have chosen not to get one because I don't believe that I have the self-control to refrain from being on it too much. When I go to the park, I want to be at the park, not on my phone. Even though I don't have a phone, with all the time that I spend at home, I feel the pull to be on my laptop often. A few quiet minutes? Better check what is going on. My leisure is comprised of scrolling through my favorite websites. Stay-at-home moms, I think we are some of the biggest culprits of internet addiction. Let's face it - long, lonely days at home with our children are tough. I just want escape. I want something exciting outside of the mundane of cleaning messes, changing diapers, and folding laundry. I crave interaction with someone over the age of 7. When (or if) I finally get 20 minutes of down time, I usually feel worse about myself and my day if I have wasted it all on Facebook or Pinterest. There are better ways to spend our time.

With Lent coming, I think it is time for us to truly evaluate our internet usage. Perhaps this Lent, it is time for a technology fast. What would life look like without the internet? What would happen if we only "checked in" for 20 minutes in the evening or every other day? Would we survive? Yes, I think we would; in fact, we would more than survive, I think we would thrive. We would find peace for our souls. We would find time for quiet contemplation. We would read, walk, pray, and reflect more. We would go back to the tangible reality of searching through a recipe book, looking at old photographs, reading a newspaper, or writing a letter. My lap would hold children, not a computer. I want my children to grow up discovering the wide world through books and nature, roaming free in wide open spaces, not confined to a virtual reality; shouldn't I desire the same for myself? Lent is a time of discipline, prayer, fasting, and abstinence to help us along our path towards holiness. May God bless you this Lenten season.

This video certainly gives us a picture of our technology addiction:

A Farewell

2013-10-04T13:33:00.003-07:00

I have desired to write this for a long time. It has been so long since my last post, and I wanted to thank all of you who have continually checked back here or have contacted me. I appreciate this little internet world.

That being said, I have been doing a lot of reflecting about the internet and our Age of Information these last few months. I am at a point in my life where I am too busy living life to stop and write about it. I find the internet overwhelming, filled with articles, tips, opinions, and views into the lives of people I'll never meet. Right now, it just seems to be noise in my soul. Noise that I can do without. Please know that I am not trying to condemn bloggers or anyone else, just right now for me, I am trying to live a life that is as free from technology as possible. I need peace. Rest. Reflection.

I started this blog as a place for me to share my journey into the Catholic Church. It became a place where I enjoyed writing and posting thoughts. I hope to come back to it someday. I hope my story can encourage others. We must all seek truth, and guard our minds from being lulled into apathy by our materialistic culture.

If you would like to contact me, my email is kplato7@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! I have "met" many wonderful people through this blog. I am thankful for you all. Check back, I may write more one day, but for now, I am reading a good book, at the park with my kids, or enjoying cup of coffee on the back patio.

Finding the Beauty

2013-07-29T18:20:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I have posted anything. To be honest, I have been slightly jaded by the blogging world. The sheer number of articles, thoughts, and blogs out there is overwhelming. Technology overwhelms me. It seems as though there is always something to read, something to check out, and some sort of advice being offered. Life has been very difficult here as many changes have and will be occurring in our family. I have been challenged to find peace in my soul; the internet is not a place of peace.

I feel that I have learned a lot over this past year of trial, someday I look forward to writing about it, but that is not for today. Today I am working just to love my children through patience when I am tired and stressed, and to find joy in the daily moments because time seems to quickly ebb away. My baby boy is already four months old, and my oldest daughter will be seven in a month. I don't want to waste my days with these precious children worrying about what is next, even though the future is so uncertain. I desire to find the beauty in everyday life ~ children, garden, sunshine, and prayer.

"I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad. Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name."
~Psalm 34

Moving Over

2013-06-26T09:12:00.001-07:00

Only a few more days and Google Reader will be shutting down. Boo. I will miss it, but have been trying out Bloglovin' for about a month now, and am getting used to it. Check it out, it has some cool features. Don't forget to move your blog feed over before July 1st! The button to follow this blog is over on the right sidebar, follow me there!

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I Will Miss You, Grandma

2013-06-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

The last three months of our life have been....intense. A birth, baptism, loss of a job, trying times at work coupled with a job change, a wedding, and now, the death of my grandmother. We flew half way across the country with FOUR kids under age SIX (crazy, at best) for a wedding, and then traveled 300+ miles for a funeral, and have spent a lot of time without daddy as he was working two jobs. Intense. There is much I could say, my heart has been heavy; for now I want to share with you all what I wrote and read at my grandmother's funeral. She was a beautiful lady with a beautiful soul. Loss is hard, death is hard. I will miss you, Grandma Minnie.

When I thought about what I would like to say and share about Grandma Minnie, I didn’t know where to begin or what to say. Every memory I have of Grandma is happy. Then I talked with my sis and we had so many of the same memories, and they are all happy. We remember all sorts of things we did at her house, and we remember loving to be there. We remember lying in her backyard watching the fireworks, playing Oregon Trail traveling up and down the yard, inventing all sorts of perils that inflicted us poor weary travelers, time grouped around her counter on bar stools writing stories about a make believe family, and the smell of her sheets in the guest room. We remember spending New Years Eve at her house, fixing her hair, and ringing in the New Year by banging on pots and flushing toilets. Now I realize that mom and dad were probably happy to send the kids away while they rang in the New Year with grown up friends, but back then, I thought going to Grandma’s was all about us. And we loved it, it was the coolest thing ever. My mind is filled with fond memories. I loved going to her house. I don’t remember a harsh or impatient word coming from her; Grandma’s house was a place of happiness, and it was a place of happiness because she was there. Her quiet, peaceful presence was always there tidying up after us messy grandchildren, making delicious homemade applesauce, and working in the yard, all while smiling to herself at all of our childish antics. Grandma was constant, more of a mother than a grandmother, and Grandma was love. Even during my teenage years when I didn’t enjoy the presence of any adult, I still loved going to Grandma’s house. Her peaceful demeanor and listening ear were as constant and true as ever. I remember her smiling down from the stands during all of our sporting events and faithfully perming my hair every year before school started. During my first few years of college, I loved when Grandma came up to Salem for a visit, as she was a part of home, sent to bring peace. I remember talking to Grandma, calling her from college when I needed someone to talk to.

Now, as an adult, I am amazed at the woman Grandma Minnie was. She owned her own business, working 5 days a week, cutting hair here in Lakeview. She had many regular customers who I now know must have loved coming to her. They probably chatted away, while she quietly and patiently listened. She spent years working at church in the AWANA program, listening to children recite memory verses, she worked in the church nursery, her house was always spotless, and she was a wonderful cook. Jamie mentioned how Grandma taught our mom how to make the delicious homemade tortillas, applesauce, and macaroni and cheese that were staples at our house. Every Monday during the summer, we looked forward to spending time at Grandma’s house with our cousins, while she filled the role of babysitter. She didn’t miss a sporting event. I can remember always seeing her Bible and Daily Bread lying on her nightstand, where I know she spent hours reading her Bible and praying for her family.

It’s strange just how etched her house is in my mind. I remember her bookshelf and what books were on there. I remember her dresser and how much I loved looking through her jewelry, and her wonderful walk-in closet filled all sorts of interesting things. I still remember how it smelled in there. Grandma’s house was not only a place of happiness, it was a place of comfort, rest and joy.

Even during these last few years when her mind was suffering from Alzheimer’s, her presence was still a comfort. Because wherever Grandma was, there was love. Throughout these last difficult years, as I’ve watched my parents and aunts and uncles care for her, it has been extremely hard. But it seemed like even though she was suffering, there would be stories my parents would tell here and there about how Grandma would give them just what they needed at the most trying of times. She would recognize them and give a smile, or even just utter the words “I love you” just when they needed to hear it. Even when she was unable to fully converse with others, her presence was enough, always emanating peace, joy and love. That is what makes her passing so difficult. Grandma Minnie, even in her last years, was comfort and love.

Even though it is difficult, and we will miss her greatly, it gives me great joy to think of her sweet, quiet presence in Heaven, still showing love to those around her. She is whole once again, freed from her suffering and with Christ, smiling down on us, and praying for us. I look forward to meeting her again one day, but for today, I am thankful for all of you here who are joining with our family to remember and celebrate our sweet Grandma Minnie.

Not Exactly a Pinterest-worthy Year

2013-05-28T08:11:00.001-07:00

Now that life has finally settled down (a little!), I have been trying to finish up this school year with the girls. Looking back, I find that I didn't really get a lot accomplished, work-wise. When my mom came to stay with us after Edmund's birth, she asked the girl's to show her all their work from this year. They didn't really have a lot to show. Miriam told her, "we don't really do much, we just do math." And yes, when I think about it, we pretty much "just did math." We did math, we read books, and we played outside. That was all this morning-sick mama could accomplish for most of the year. Nothing big, nothing exciting, and certainly nothing Pinterest-worthy. There is a part of me that sets into panic-mode as I write this. But the larger, more rational part of me says, "wait, what else does a first-grader and two preschoolers need?"

Although the girls didn't have a school year filled with fancy curriculum or crafts-galore, they learned something completely different, and far more important. They learned the process that a mother goes through during pregnancy. They learned that mother loves them enough to get up every morning, make breakfast, read stories, get them dressed, clean up the house, teach math, make lunch, and kiss hurt knees even when she really feels like bending over the toilet or laying on the couch most of the time. They got to see first-hand the suffering that goes along with pregnancy. But more importantly, they got to witness the joy of a new baby and know that it was all worth it. As I watch Miriam carry Edmund around the house, rocking him to sleep, insisting on changing his diaper and getting him dressed at least once a day, I am amazed at her love for her little baby brother. What she is learning is far more valuable than all the crafts and curriculum the world could buy.

Herein lies the joy and the heart of homeschooling. Homeschooling should not be a means to center life around a child, filling their time with lessons, special crafts, and entertainment in an effort to make a child the smartest kid on the block, rather, homeschooling should be where a child learns about life. Not by reading about it in a text book, or in an simulated classroom environment, but lived out on a daily basis. Homeschooling is about learning to interact with people of all ages, learning to patiently deal with your toddler sister who continually messes up your things, stopping lessons because mommy needs to be sick, and changing dirty diapers. This is life in it's most raw form, but it is life - terrible, beautiful, and wonderful all at the same time. These are the lessons they learned this year, lessons that can't be displayed on the refrigerator, and most certainly aren't seen on Pinterest, but lessons that they will never forget.

The Sacrament of Baptism

2013-05-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Our hearts were full on the day that we brought our sweet little Edmund Arthur Francis before the Lord for the Sacrament of Baptism. This was our first Catholic baptism and it was a beautiful and joyous occasion. We were blessed to be surrounded by dear friends, our Catholic family. There are times when I mourn that our families are not involved in our Catholic life, and I pray that one day they may join us. Until then, we are continually blessed by our little community of Catholics here who show us continual support and love.

"Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation." - CCC 1272

Watching our son be incorporated into the body of Christ, seeing him receive this Sacrament, knowing that no sin will ever remove this mark from him, smelling the sweet Sacramental oil on his head, was a profound and joyous experience. A friend commented to me that a priest once told her to kiss her newly baptized baby as often as possible because it is the closest she would come to kissing the face of God.

"Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, erases original sin and turns man back toward God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined for evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle." -CCC 405

Edmund's baptism didn't mark the end, but the beginning of his spiritual journey to heaven. Go forward, sweet little Edmund Arthur Francis, fight the spiritual evil in this world, fight your weakened nature, and let the love of Christ dwell in your heart.

Who is the Master?

2013-05-10T19:26:00.001-07:00

It has been awhile since I have spent time in my daughter's ballet class. I had gotten into the habit of dropping them off and waving goodbye, as the thought of chasing a two year old around the lobby, trying to keep her quiet, while big and pregnant was far too much for me during those last few months. But last week, both girls asked that I come and see what they had been learning. It was a delight to be "back in action," waving to my little ballerinas and praising them on the specific accomplishments. It even was a joy to chase my toddler around, watching her attempt to mimic the big girls. I noticed something as I looked around the lobby filled with moms - no one was talking, no one was watching, everyone was looking at their phones. It stopped me for a moment. It was as if I suddenly stepped into this alternate reality, and in a way, I had.

Our reality is no longer bound to our current location, we live in a virtual reality. Reality is now Facebook status updates, tweets, emails, and Angry Birds; with all of the new, fancy phones this virtual reality can follow us wherever we go. I couldn't help but lament the loss that occurred as everyone was checked into virtual reality. Moms were no longer watching their little ballerinas, waving from the window, but the biggest loss - we were not talking to each other. Friendships were not being formed. Before the age of cell phones, people didn't have the option to carry a phone with them wherever they went. People couldn't spend time out in public talking, texting, or on the internet. They talked to those around them; friendships and community were formed. Some of my best "mom friends" have been ladies that I have met chatting during ballet lessons. This happened because we talked to each other, got to know each other, and didn't spend the entire lesson absorbed with our phones. It is a tragedy to think of what is being lost. As a society, we are losing the skill of conversation as we spend more and more of our time speaking in terms of status updates and tweets.

I had a similar experience at the mall several weeks ago. The girls and I were waiting for Nick to check on something, and we sat down to rest on the benches in the center of the mall. We sat next to a father and teenage son, who were sitting side by side both playing some sort of game on their respective phones. There was no interaction between them, just glazed over eyes pushing buttons. Again, I lamented what was being lost. It wasn't the act of playing a video game, but that this father and son were missing out on an opportunity to interact, to grow their relationship. That son is never going to look back and remember "that time we sat side by side and played games on our phone," but he would remember if his dad had taken that opportunity to ask him what he thought about something important, or even if they would have laughed and chatted about all of the unique people they saw at the mall.

Years ago, I heard a story told about the Amish people living in Pennsylvania. Living without the comforts of modern technology is part of their way of life. The story I heard was about a particular community that wanted to build a new barn. One member of the community suggested they use a crane to help build the barn faster and larger than if they were to build it by hand. Instead of rashly adopting this new technology, members of the community held a meeting. During the meeting, they discussed the ramifications of adopting such a technology. Although it was universally acknowledged that the barn would be bigger and built in a more timely manner, they weighed these pros against what would be lost in the process. The new barn built with a crane would be larger, but it would also cost more to build and maintain. The community would not work together to erect the new barn, they wouldn't be needed. They would lose out on a community event, and the young men involved in the building process would miss out on the patience and work ethic required to build something by hand. In the end, they decided not use the crane because the loss they would suffer was greater than the modern virtues of "bigger, better, faster."

Recenty, my phone officially died and I had to get a new one. I am not an iPhone person, I know that I don't have the discipline to carry the internet around with me. I go for the free, out of date flip phone. It had been a long time since I had been in a phone store. When I walked through the door, I was bombarded and overwhelmed with technology. An agent greeted me at the door with a iPad, promptly entering my name in the queue of people needing help. Huge flat screen televisions mounted to the wall flashed commercials with all of the cool things my potential new phone could do, but what truly caught my attention was the slogans written all around the wall. "Move at the speed of instant," "Stay in the know," and my favorite, "Carry the window to the world in your pocket." I asked an agent for a piece of paper and a pen so I could write some of them down, and chuckled when they couldn't find one.

"Carry the window to the world in your pocket." I challenge this, and pray that it isn't true. As a society, we are in trouble if our world is no longer found in nature, community, children, and the beauty of every day life, but confined to meaningless status updates, tweets, and instant access to all information. I don't think it is wrong to have a iPhone or the like, my husband has one, and it has come in handy on many occasions, but we need to be sure that this technology is NOT our "window to the world." If it is, I would have to question if we are the master of our technology, or if our technology is mastering us.

I Was Ignorant...

2013-05-07T13:11:00.001-07:00

I'm pro-life. I've always been pro-life. I've always known that I don't support abortion, but I have
never really paid attention to the reality of abortion. Recently, with the Kermit Gosnell trial going on, as well as undercover videos being posted by Live Action, I have been exposed to the details of abortion, details that I happily ignored up until now.

There is something about holding my own newborn son, loving him, nursing him, looking at his perfect little hands and feet - when I compare the beauty of life found in him with the thought of little babies being torn apart, limb by limb in the mother's womb, babies that are being born alive and fighting for their lives while being left to die - that is the horror of abortion. I can't help but think "they're killing babies just like him. Abortion is someone ripping him apart in my womb. Abortion is him being born alive and put in a toxic solution." I was ignorant to the sheer evil that is happening every day in our country, and now my heart is grieving. There was a part of me that never watched videos or read much about abortion because I didn't want to know, I didn't want to know how truly horrible it is, but I can no longer be ignorant. We can no longer be ignorant. For weeks the mainstream media has ignored the Kermit Gosnell trial, desiring to keep Americans ignorant of the infanticide that is happening, but we need to know. We need to know just how bad it is so we will motivated to help fight abortion. Here are some links to videos and articles that will disturb you, I promise. They have kept me awake at night. But don't be ignorant. Learn, pray, fight, and support pro-life people and organizations like Live Action, Abby Johnson, and Life Site News.

"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child - a direct killing of the innocent child - murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?" ~Mother Teresa

Please look at the following links, it will only take a few moments of your time:

Mom Screams for Help as Baby is Born Alive

Abortionist Strangles Baby

Live Action's Inhuman Videos

A Charlotte Mason Day

2013-05-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

I have been a bit behind in just about everything these days....laundry... dishes... school work... blogging... pictures... did I mention laundry? Playing catch up is difficult after having a baby, couple that with my husband getting a second job, and I don't find much time to sit down at the computer. I really don't miss the exorbitant amount of time I was spending on the internet during my pregnancy, but I do miss writing and sharing on here.

During my pregnancy, our homeschooling consisted of math, some reading outloud, and....that is about it. I was barely surviving day to day; now that I am back on my feet, we have started having more Charlotte Mason inspired days. The weather has been beautiful, and I can just feel the outdoors beckoning us to come exploring. Today was one of those "Charlotte Mason Days" where the girls and I basked in the glorious spring sunshine while tracking down and identifying flowers for Mother Mary. Our goal for the month of May is to keep fresh flowers on the altar for Mary. This was one of those days where education was not in a lesson or worksheet, but in a way of life. The simple delight of being outside, learning, touching, and experiencing nature, working together to make a beautiful bouquet, would have made Ms. Mason proud. Today, I played. Tomorrow....I think the laundry is calling my name.

"If we give our children regular opportunities to get in touch with God's creation, a habit is formed which will be a source of delight throughout their lives."

It's a War....and We're Losing

2013-04-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

I came across this article titled "11 Actions That Prove Republicans Are Intent on Making 2013 a Terrible Year for Sex." As I scrolled through their "11 Reasons," I was appalled.... repulsed.... I'm having trouble thinking of a strong enough word. For those of you who want to spare yourselves the reading, let me list a few highlights for you:

"The GOP's demonization of Planned Parenthood has been far more unpopular than Santorum suggests, but that didn't stop congressional Republicans from eagerly continuing their crusade to eliminate its federal funding earlier this year with a pair of new bills that haven't moved forward."

(Isn't there a reason Planned Parenthood has been "demonized"?? Killing babies for one....)

"A number of states have so far been successful at pioneering harsh new limits on abortion rights that would leave women who need such services in those states -- as well as their partners -- with few or no options." (Coupled with a picture of a pro-life sign held by someone with a rosary)

(What women need abortion services? I spend lots of time every day teaching my children the difference between a "need" and a "want." I think this is more in the want category...)

"With the stigmatization of abortion in many of these states often leaving only a few medical professionals who provide abortion services in the first place, opponents also argue that the new rules create an onerous if not impossible task that is intended to force clinics to close."

(Stigmatization?? Huh?)

"Some people apparently still believe the best sex education is the kind that includes neither sex nor education. In North Dakota, Arkansas and Texas, Republicans extended their vendetta against Planned Parenthood this year, bringing forth proposals to block the organization's effort to offer comprehensive sex education programs to at-risk teenagers."

(Sense the sarcasm there? Yes, some people apparently still believe that abstinence is a good thing. I suppose this is in opposition to those who believe we should teach our children a "safe" way to have multiple partners while trying to avoid disease and pregnancy. And if they accidentally get pregnant? Just head on over to PP and fix the problem.... Excellent solution.)

Alright, I will stop there. I could continue to share sarcastic comments by this liberal news source painting everyone who believes in abstinence, traditional family, and the pro-life cause as a crazy, fundamentalist, Republican who is completely out of touch with society. And maybe I am out of touch with society, but maybe that is a good thing. What does all of this come down to? Sex. Sex, sex, and more sex. We are a culture obsessed with sex. Lots of it, done any way, anywhere we want, with no consequences. I am happy to be out of touch.

What lies at the heart of our obession with sex, or rather what has allowed our promiscuity is birth control. When we started artificially controllling the number of children we had, procreation was removed from the sexual act, allowing sex to be for pleasure only. This pleasure-only view of sex has led us to where we are today. Sex is a commodity - buy it, sell it, have as much as you want, consequence free. These political wars that are being raged - birth control, abortion, gay marriage - are all rooted in the philosophy that sex is for pleasure only. It is a tragedy, one that will destroy our nation.

Over the last four weeks, the number one comment I have heard regarding our new son is, "Now that you have your boy, are you done having kids?" Seriously, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I could buy a new car. Birth control has not only made us view sex as something for pleasure only, it has allowed us to reduce children to little more than a commodity. Now that I have both a son and daughters, I surely wouldn't want anything else. It is as though I finally collected all of the trading cards in a set. Because children are no longer the natural result of the sexual act, when you have many children, you are viewed as irresponsible, or simply crazy. I suppose the responsible thing to do would be to "be done" having children by using some sort of temporary or permanent birth control (my doctor asked me FOUR times if I would like to have my tubes tied during the c-section), and then just engage in unlimited, child-free sex.

Our liberal media has convinced our society that anyone who believes in traditional morality, complete with a sexual ethic, is a looney, old-school, traditionalist who is out of touch with reality. It is shocking that an article titled "11 Actions That Prove Republicans Are Intent on Making 2013 a Terrible Year for Sex." is even considered "news." We must fight. Fight hard against the prevailing mindset. Be actively pro-life. Pray. Have lots of children and teach them that they are a blessing, and that sex is sacred, holy, and a gift from God - not a commodity for our personal pleasure and gain.

Exhaustion, Suffering, and Joy

2013-04-10T12:30:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm alive....sort of. If you can count not sleeping for more than two straight hours for almost four weeks, barely keeping my living room cleaned up, and still recovering from a major surgery alive, then I count. My brain really doesn't work nearly as well as it used to...and that whole idea of "sleep while your baby sleeps" doesn't factor in what to do with with a 6 year old, 5 year old, and 2 year old while I'm taking these naps. As time goes by after the birth of all of our children, the difficulties of these first few months seem to dim, my perspective broadens, and I realize just how short these first few months are. That is a good thing. If I were to clearly remember how exhausted I feel, I don't think I could ever bring myself to look forward to another pregnancy. Ever.

Wrapped up in every difficult time in life, there is always joy to be found amongst the suffering. And there is no more joy than in holding a sweet little newborn baby. Amidst the brain fog and exhaustion, we are IN LOVE. There is nothing like holding a new life in your arms. There is no better time for praising God for His creation than when I look down in wonder at the face of my dear little Edmund, speechless that God made this new little soul. In cooperation with the grace of God, a new soul entered into this world through me. Looking at him puts all my suffering and complaints aside and my heart overflows with wonder and joy.

So often, suffering and joy go hand in hand. As we come out of the Lenten season and experience the joy of Easter, I am reminded of this truth. What greater suffering could one bear than what our Savior bore on the cross? The scorn Christ underwent, the betrayal and denial by those closest to Him, followed by the excruciating death on the cross; it is through this suffering that we may have life. Our greatest joy comes from his pain.

It is a time of intense emotions around here (post-partum hormones don't help!) and I long for life to even out a little, but for now, I thank God for the suffering He endured on the cross, and the suffering brought about by pregnancy and birth, for through these sufferings and by His grace, we have new life - and there is no greater joy.

I have to share a few new Edmund pictures, we are so blessed!

The Easter Liturgy

2013-03-28T21:39:00.005-07:00

I can't believe that Lent is over and we are into the Easter Triduum. This has been a strange Lent for me, with the preparation and birth of our son, I didn't do nearly as many Lenten practices and activities as in the past. I didn't give anything up, I didn't do many crafts and teaching activities with the girls, in fact, the main theme of Lent this year was "survive." Our oldest daughter and my husband are at Holy Thursday Mass, while I sit here in peace with the three little ones sleeping. I miss it. I wish I were healthy enough to attend this Mass. I truly believe that the most beautiful part of being Catholic is the Easter Triduum. I wrote about the beauty of the Easter liturgy last year, but every year, it touches my soul.

Easter was confusing to me as a child growing up in a Baptist Church. I could never figure out how I was supposed to feel in that short two hour service - should I be grieved that Christ had died on the cross, or filled with joy on the day of His Resurrection? Christ's suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection was all neatly packed into one service. I have recently noticed that a growing number of Protestant churches are including Lenten practices, something I believe is crucial for the Christian life. I want to encourage all of my Protestant friends and readers to seek out the Easter liturgy. Living the liturgy, beginning with Ash Wednesday, where we are reminded that from dust we came, and to dust we shall return, to walking the Stations of the Cross every Friday, reflecting on Christ's passion, to Holy Thursday where we remember when Christ instituted the Last Supper, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil - these will touch your soul in a profound way. One of the most joyful seasons in this Catholic life was participating in the Vigil last year; standing outside the dark church, processing in holding a lit candle, reading through salvation history, and then watching as the Church was lit up with Baptisms, Confirmations, and rejoicing in the resurrected Christ. It was beautiful, mysterious, and filled my soul with awe and wonder. The heart of our Christian faith being realized here on earth.

The beauty of the liturgy provides so much more than an intellectual knowledge, for as we act out the Salvation drama throughout the year, culminating at Easter, Christ touches our hearts. The rich symbolism found in every aspect of liturgy touches the most intellectual philosopher and the smallest child. When the lights were turned out at Holy Thursday, three little pairs of eyes looked up at us in wonder questioning why the Church was suddenly dark. Their little minds understood that something had changed, as Christ instituted the Last Supper and prepared to die, light was extinguished from the world. Even for a five-year-old, something as simple as the sanctuary being enveloped in darkness makes the bright and celebratory Easter Sunday that much more glorious. Like the most doting mother, Mother Church knows what we need. As humans, we are bodily creatures who are in need of constant reminding. We need Lent, a time of reflection, confession, and self-denial. We need to participate with Christ and His Passion, and we need a time of sorrow so that we may fully rejoice on resurrection Sunday.

I know this is late, as most of Lent is behind us, but I want to encourage you all to participate in the Easter Triduum - the climax of our Christian hope.

**All of the beautiful images in this post are courtesy of www.StainedGlassInc.com. Please visit their website for more of their artwork.**

Welcome Edmund

2013-03-20T19:11:00.001-07:00

I am so proud and blessed to be able to announce that Edmund Arthur Francis Plato was born March 14, 2013, one week before my scheduled c-section. I went into labor early, you can read about it on our family blog here. He is healthy, happy, and loved beyond measure. Our girls constantly want to hold him -we all gather around to watch him make those sweet newborn faces and stretch his arms. He truly is a miracle, a sweet soul, formed by the grace of God. I am tired and overwhelmed, but joyful.

How I Grew to Love the Pope

2013-03-01T01:20:00.003-08:00

Pope Benedict XVI, the only Pope I have ever known. Growing up, my conception of "Pope" consisted of power-hungry men that Catholics worshiped by kissing their hands and feet. Catholics got the Pope and Christ confused....and didn't a Pope kiss the Koran or something crazy like that? I will admit, a HUGE obstacle to becoming Catholic lay in the idea of "Pope." I felt like he was going to get in between myself and Christ.

When we decided to become Catholic, I was able to accept the Pope as head of the Church in an ideological realm, meaning I saw the need for a leader, or a voice here on earth. It was a more of a practical concern, I had seen the rampant way Protestantism had divided the Body of Christ by not having a living, breathing, authority to speak to current issues; the office of Pope was an answer to this problem. It was something I was able to accept as a necessity.

About six months after our conversion, I picked up a copy of God Is Near Us by Pope Benedict XVI in an effort to learn more about the Holy Eucharist. I was struck by the depth of his writing; it was profound, but simple to read at the same time. I was moved by the focus on Christ and apparent love Pope Benedict had for our Saviour. It was at this same time that I began listening to Benedictus Moments almost every day. My love for Pope Benedict grew as I saw him as much more than just a practical solution to the authority problem, but a humble man who had dedicated his life to Christ. His love for Jesus emanates from all that he says and does. I had never stopped to think as a Protestant, what priests, bishops, and the Pope must sacrifice to live completely dedicated to Christ. They commit to a life of service, celibacy, and self-denial. He was a true leader of the Church, and yes, he was Christ to me. He was my Father here on earth. Does that mean I thought he took the place of Christ, or that I ought to worship him as Christ? Of course not! But he was Christ to me, much as I am Christ to my children each and every day. He was the representation of our Lord.

When I saw on the news that Pope Benedict had resigned, I was grieved. I cried, not really knowing why. I later realized that I had grew to love him and looked to him as a leader; he was the only Pope we had known. The first article I read was on FoxNews, a commentary on how the Pope had failed in his mission and could never live up to John Paul II. I was enraged. I don't claim to know much about each Pope and what they have accomplished or didn't accomplish, but I know that to myself, a convert to Catholicism for only two short years, Pope Benedict XVI taught me what the Pope was all about - humility, wisdom, love, and Christ here on earth.

"May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives." --Pope Benedict XVI, his last Tweet