In the Moment: Easter Monday

I find myself:

::noticing God's glory

It's early April. The tulips are already spent. The bluebells have bloomed and gone. Patrick has readied the rose garden for its moment of glory. Thankfully, the rose's season will last a long, long time. 

And the boys have built a raised bed garden. It's just waiting. Isn't that a happy, hopeful thing? A brand new garden, filled with soil and ready for seedlings. What a gift!

::listening to 

birds. So many birds under the pear tree in my front yard. They sound just lovely.

::clothing myself in 

His infinite mercy.

::giving thanks for

 a very fruitful Lent--the grace of a silent retreat and some time away alone with my husband. I'm so grateful to the people who made it happen.

::pondering prayerfully

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. … O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You. (Diary of St. Faustina, 84, 1319)

  

::turning the pages of this book

I spent Holy Week reading Consoling the Heart of Jesus. There are a small handful of books in my life where I remember exactly where and when I read them because those times and places are turning points. This book is one of those. It is easily at the top of that list. This incredibly readable volume makes some of the most beautiful truths and devotions of the Catholic faith understandable (at last)  and accessible (even to busy mothers of large families).  Fr. Gaitley brings together fine threads of several spiritual traditions and weaves them into a beautiful and exceedingly useful tapestry of a do-it-yourself retreat. It is Ignatian spirituality made accessible. It is the Little Way of St. Therese for all of us. It is consecration to Mary and devotion to Divine Mercy explained in plain language and made clear to little souls. Mostly, it is a rich volume of Merciful Words that brings Merciful Love to its readers. You don't have to have a weekend to make the retreat. You can just read a little each day until you are finished. If it's your heart's desire to get to know and understand Jesus better, tell Him. He'll help you find the time. I heartily recommend that you hurry and get yourself a copy of this book--what a beautiful way to spend the Easter sason.

::creating by hand

I think this is the week I will attempt to sew a garment for myself. More on that on Thursday. (A quick St. Anne prayer would be appreciated though;-)

  

::learning lessons in

re-entry. I was away last week. Now I'm back. You'd think after making every re-entry mistake in the book when I came back in January, I would have learned. But I'm still learning. 

::encouraging learning 

We have a few little Easter week happy things planned, but we also have some lessons to do this week. 

::carefully cultivating rhythm

I'm back in step with the rhythm of prayer. Lent is so good for that. I've resolved to keep all my Lenten resolutions. I made quite a few and they've born great fruit. I looked at every single one and decided that there was no better way than to celebrate the Easter season than to just keep doing what I've been doing.

One thing, though. I found, about half way through Lent, that I didn't really have time to write. I'd like to have time to write. I spent a good chunk of time alone last week and I had an opportunity to get some posts for this week written. Beyond that, I'm praying I figure out the writing time piece of the puzzle. 

::begging prayers

for my friend, Leslie who carries a heavy cross into the Easter season and for her children:  I pray that the joy of the Resurrection will be theirs even as the grieve. And for the repose of the soul of her husband: 

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

::keeping house

Yeah. That. I'm doing it, I promise;-).

::crafting in the kitchen 

this early spring has me befuddled in the kitchen, too. What local vegetable season is it, anyway? Farmer's Market is supposed to open in April. Any locals know which weekend?

I'm also planning meals to bring to my mother- and father-in-law. I need to think of things which are easily re-heated and provide some variety over the course of a few days. Any ideas?

::loving the moments

::I took lots of long walks in Coral Gables while Mike was at work. While the sights and sounds were wonderful, it was the feel of warm sun that especially blessed me. Oh, how that sun felt good!

::I had lots of uninterrupted time alone with Mike at te end of his work day.

:: After the feast and the Easter egg hunt yesterday, Karoline, who is five, organized all the cousins and siblings to put on an Easter play. From the Last Supper to the Resurrection, she scripted and directed the whole thing. It was a child who reminded us at the end of the long day exactly what the day was meant to celebrate. How happy she must have made Jesus! How He must have smiled at Nicholas carrying the seven foot cross and then curling up in the soccer-goal-turned-tomb. And Karoline, insisting it all happen and then bringing it life. Oh, to have the unabashed faith of a little child...

::living the liturgy

I'm determined that my family know that we are living the Easter season, just as surely as they knew that we were living Lent. What does that mean, exactly? How best to make it fifty days of bright hope and joyful prayer?

For us, Easter has always meant an abundance of time out door in the sunshine.  Our beloved bluebells have come and gone, so this year, we will spend April getting to know some of the later blooming flowers (which are also blooming early--we'll get to know traditional may flowers this April). 

It's also a season of blessed candles, holy water, and light. That means that candles will be lit on the mantel where the golden Alleluia letters shine, all the holy water fonts will be filled, and windows will be washed inside and out to let in the light. 

The Eastertide hymn will be rung (or sung  lustily as it may) and my children will be belting out Alleluias at random times for the foreseeable future, just because they can...

And we are looking joyfully forward to the Feast of Divine Mercy.

  

::planning for the week ahead

I plan to spend lots of time hugging on these sweet children! I missed them when I was away from them and I'm looking very forward to launching into this new season with them.

Many thanks to Emily DeHority for taking my camera in her hands thorughout the weekend. Some of these photos are hers. I'm not really sure who clicked what:-)