Bee Keeping and Retreat

Tonight we got the boys to their beekeeper's meeting with time to spare!  We were loaded down with snacks for the group as Sean had volunteered us for this task last month.  We tried to stay with recipes that had honey...Sean made coconut macaroons with honey drizzled over the top.  Henry made a honey cake (much like a cheese cake with honey).  I decided we need something a little more substantial so I made a 7-layered bean dip as well (The bees helped pollinate the veggies in the dip, right?).  Another member also brought a HUGE platter full of homemade ginger snaps and snickerdoodles.

The meeting began with election of officers and then the boys helped present about the bee tree experience.   The adults spoke more than my crowd-shy boys!  Hard to believe these boys who are so loud any other time spoke in whispered voices in front of this group!   Makes me wish for a group of adults to suddenly appear around bedtime each night!  LOL!

Sean also spoke about his 4H recordbook as requested by our beekeeper association.  His theme was entomology and I read the portion related to beekeeping to the group.  They were impressed that he related the life of an insect to his 4H career thus far.

After a talk about homemade bee tools from David (our association president), we enjoyed the snacks and headed home.  Marie (a new friend from the group) was set to watch the boys the next day but her vehicle was not working so she asked to stay the night so I could leave as planned.  This just shows how much I can count on this dear friend.  I was so grateful that she would go the extra length to help us.

So, I raced home to assure that the boys were settled in bed and Marie would have a place to sleep.  Wouldn't you know the boys were wound up and not ready to sleep as they should...as I really needed to leave by 9pm to make it to the retreat center.  The boys insisted that they would settle down and go to sleep...of course we are dealing with four boys ages 3 years old to 15 years old so what can be expected?!?  I left knowing that Marie and Henry would help get them to sleep.  Besides, they could always sleep in if they stayed up late!

Zaira and I were on our way to our retreat training.  Thankfully, Zaira quickly fell asleep and I did not!  We arrived at the center by 1am and went right to sleep in their comfy beds!

I woke up the next day to all of my retreatant friends surrounding the baby!  It was such a joy to have them meet Zaira as they had prayed for her for so long.  We settled into our class schedule and Zaira was a sweet baby sleeping and cooing through the sessions.

I was able to learn about spiritual community in assisting a directee on the right path to a Christ-centered life.  We also reviewed a lesson on how to determine if a path was truly Spirit-driven.  This came mainly from the knowledge of the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.

We then went through some case studies in group discussion and through role-playing exercises.  This is a very helpful set up for our group.  We work really well at taking this training seriously but also enjoying the time.  We always know when we are getting to bogged down and need to lighten up the experience...Fr Dan is especially good at helping us laugh but the others take their turns as well.  I think the fellowship is just as important as the training.  Such a joy to spend the weekend with them all!

Zaira shared her talent for singing before we headed home...she could not resist as one of my friend heard Zaira liked "Ave Marie" so began the song.  We were all so blessed when Zaira joined in with her own version!  I hated to leave the beautiful setting but we also knew it was time to head home.  Zaira was so good as she stayed awake watching out the window most of the trip.

In the mean time, the boys enjoyed a day of fun with Marie.  They played board games...drew dinosaurs...learned a new drawing game...and took a walk that ended with picking vegetables from our neighbor's garden!

Then Saturday they made biscuits and gravy from scratch with Anitra.  This was followed by a trip into town for a Veteran's Day parade.  They returned home and took a walk around our property.  They even had dinner in the slow-cooker when I got home!

That only left me to make some lemon bars for the church fundraiser that would take place the next day!  And arrange all our desserts n nice serving platters for auction.  I even made it to bed at an early hour anticipating the next day.  I always look forward to this event as my church family gathers in thanksgiving.

Without going into a lot of details about our Sunday morning, I had a panic of events that did not allow me to get to the fundraiser as planned.  The boys made it in time for Mass thanks to a friend..I would make it just in time for the dinner.  I was able to help with clean up and we returned home after a full day.  I will later write more about this experience as it unfolds over this next week.  Many lessons can be learned from this situation.  I feel like much of what happened reinforced what I learned on retreat.

The Day After

I woke up this morning with a deep desire to pray.  I again turned to my morning prayer and found myself consoled.  In spite of the results from last night, I do believe that God is in control.

The first Psalm I prayed was Psalm 86..."In the days of distress I will call and surely you will reply....Show me, Lord, your way so that I may walk in your truth."  Then from Psalm 98..."Rejoice at the presence of the Lord for He comes to rule the earth."  And finally, from Job 1:21..."We accept good things from God; and should we not accept evil?"  This was followed by the prayer, "Incline my heart according to your will, O God!"  

I am reminded that God is in control.  God does not send evil into this world...humanity, with the gift of free will, chooses evil over goodness.  Yet, God is the final victor.  

After prayers, I went to my email and found a message from a wise friend.  He wrote (in its entirety because it is such a good message): 

"We don’t serve men… we serve a God in heaven who knew the outcome of this presidential election before the first vote was cast. And we’re living in this particular time for a reason… God wouldn't have put us here in this moment in history if He didn't have a purpose for us.

God knows our hearts and He knows our strongest desire is to save His children from the sin of this nation, but God’s plan for us is not an easy road. If it were easy we wouldn't have been forged in the fire for this great battle. We've been prepared for the days to come and we must be thankful. We need to rejoice because God is the victor – not a politician (Republican or Democrat).

How much sweeter is the victory when every path of escape, but God, has been closed off? When all hope is lost and our enemies surround us – that’s is when our eyes must turn toward heaven and remember where our salvation is assured. 

God in heaven – eternal and undefeated. 

The final vote will be cast by God – and His vote is the only one that matters.

“The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” – Proverbs 21:1

I thank God for being our strength.  Today I will pray with more purpose.  I will go about my activities with more desire to show God's love.  

I am sending this post out early because we will be home late and I wanted this message to go out.  God bless our nation!

Election Day

I woke up this morning and prayed for our nation.  I opened my prayer book and read from Psalm 85 which states that God has blessed the land...show us your mercy Lord!  Then I read from Isaiah 26 and read the prayer that to God for "a notion of of firm purpose you [God] will keep in peace"  Ending with Psalm 67 that says, "Let the nations be glad and exult for rule the world with justice."  I was at peace that God would lead our nation in the right path on this  election day.

Now, I am numb as I think of the results of this election.  I think that the best thing to do is go to sleep tonight.  I will wake up in the morning and begin my day as I do every day...praying for our nation and for conversion.  Praying that this nightmare...not because of the election outcome...that has consumed our nation will end.

The feeling of dread as I realize that we really do live in a world that only cares about the next hand out and not how to give a hand.  It breaks my heart to think that there are more people who expect the government to take care of them than responsible adults who learn to take care of themselves.

Then, I go back to the quote above from Psalm 67...God gave us justice...is this what our nation needed?

I close with this thought...May God be merciful to our nation but may He also come down hard on us in punishment if that is what will break our hardened hearts!  I cannot help but think of the days of the OT Israelites and their desire for an earthly king.  God gave them what they asked for by presenting them with Saul and then many others throughout time who often led them astray.  This was not the will of God but His allowing His people to have free will.  Oh, how that will of the people can bring us to our knees!

To God be the glory in all things!  I continue to trust in Him!

Praying for Our Nation

The outcome of our nation is heavy on my heart today...as the election tomorrow just will not leave my mind.  I do not have a sense of worry so much as that of concern.  Is there a difference? I just want the citizens of our nation to pray and seek wisdom before going off to vote.  Yet, I know that God has a plan bigger than we can understand and He will use the choices of humanity to His end.

I began the day with morning prayer...I read from James 2:12-17..."Always speak and act as men destined for judgment under the law of freedom....My brothers, what good is it to profess faith without practicing it?"  How can we not vote our conscience tomorrow?  We must with informed wisdom choose the greater of the two men to serve our nation as leader!  I cannot tell anyone who to vote for in this election, but I can tell you that the person who will uphold the truths of freedom that so many have fought and died for in our nation is the one that will serve our country well.

So, we went about our day...school work, art class, and even a trip to the college ministry to clean out closets of altar supplies.  Always with the thoughts of the election on my mind.  It is all about people making choices...we make choices everyday for ourselves.  Tomorrow we are making a choice for our nation.  Will those who choose to selfishly think only of their own welfare please stop and think about those around you as well?  Stop taking until our nation is broken!  Take the time to see the full picture of your actions!

Amanda called to tell me about her internship ending.  A ceremony with special honors took place today.  She was given several awards for her strengths in the program.  She even got a special award for her efforts.  I am so proud of her and know that she will be successful as she continues to make her way in the world.  I pray for all our young adults (especially Amanda) to learn to discern life.

We rushed home to grab our cupcakes (made earlier in the day)...Lemon Meringue Cupcakes!  Then off to take Sean to his county 4H meeting.  While he was in his meeting, I was able to focus on the prayers for our 40 Days for Life rally.  May God give me the wisdom to speak to those in attendance tonight!

Then the phone call from the woman living with us at this time.  Our little car she is driving has a dead battery!  She must have left the lights on ALL DAY!!!!  I try to jump start the car but nothing is helping!  It is dark so the only option is to leave it overnight!

We race to get to a church and it turns out we are earlier than anyone else!  Others trickle in to the church where we gather for prayer.  We share stories of our experiences at the abortion clinic.  We had some stories of being able to talk to the women who enter the clinic.  We spoke about the court cases filed against them...the doctor who frequents the clinic...the case referencing a possible abortion performed at the clinic....the women who know abortion is wrong but choose to go to the clinic anyway.  We also spoke of the success of the national 40 Days for Life campaign...saving over 600 babies and the prayer to end abortion spreading across the world.  And most of all, we prayed!

I read from Psalm 31...I broke the Psalm into three parts and showed how it relates to women who choose abortion.  Did you know that it is believed that 40% of women who abort are church-going women?  I spoke to those present about the beginning of the Psalm as a woman who is strong in her faith.  She knows that her strength comes from God.  Yet, at some point she makes a wrong choice.  The second part is that of despair...she has lost her way and feels like everyone around her is judging her choices.  There is no hope in her life.  Will we be the one to help her or judge her and cast her aside as worthless?  Then someone urges her to seek forgiveness...God nudges her to come back to her faith!  The third section is that of new hope and forgiveness.  She seeks God's mercy and finds it has always been available to her!  That is why I go out to the clinic to pray...hoping that if I can help just one woman find that Grace then it was worth the time and effort.

I then shared that the society that we live in has the net that traps those who are most vulnerable. The society that thinks nothing of killing a child for convenience does not care about the pain caused by abortion.  Looking at my own experience having children...time and time again being told that abortion would be easier than having a child!  There is not a child that we have been blessed with that I can imagine being without!  Such blessings that God has given us!  These are the traps that tempt women to believe that abortion is the answer.  So we prayed for an end to this mindset in our nation.

I end this post with the thoughts running through my head that God's plan will lead us in the right direction.  2 Timothy 1:7 gives me the courage to go to bed tonight without worry.  "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

Creepy Crawlers!

We were all set (meaning it was on my calendar!) to go to this event called Creepy Crawlers.  Then I got an email a couple of days ago and we went from participants to presenters in a matter of minutes!

We were so happy to represent our local beekeepers association at this event.  We took an observation hive to the Native Plant Center.  The boys and I spoke to about 40 youth and their parents about the importance of bees and how a hive works.  It was so much fun!  We were also given little insect collectors, so I sent the boys into their butterfly garden to collect some bees to look at under the magnifying glass.  I was surprise to find Brendan (3yo) right along with the older boys.  He got a nice specimen that we were able to use.  Henry got the prize bee however...it had full pollen sacs!  So cool!

The boys could not resist going around to the other stations at the event.  When things started slowing down at the end of the day, they got to explore.  There were our favorite "Friends of the Forest" group with the snakes.  Then a insect spot for Sean, along with a hike through the woods to hunt for insects.  They had a worm station and arts & crafts (which Brendan loved!).  Then the snack station with ants on a tree cookie...walking sticks...gummy worms...and more!

Brendan came back from the arts & crafts table with a lady bug headband, a stick decorated to look like a snake and a butterfly book.  Our little self-proclaimed genius read his book to me and it was so cute!  He even started with the title and author (not sure what he said for his first name but used our last name...so he must have a pen name!).  The story was all about insects...mainly honey bees and butterflies...the bee was not nice to the butterfly and the dragon fly had to tell the bee to be nice!

Sean and Edward came back from the hike showing off their spiders and butterflies!  Henry spent the rest of his time with the snakes.  I sat and told stories about our bee adventures to the college helper.

A great time was obviously had by all!  And we even got to get Zaira's 12-week butterfly picture!  She does not look very happy in the picture but I think it is because there is a monkey on her sleeper...she has a monkey on her bouncer and she hates it!  One day when she is older she is going to tell people she hates monkeys but does not know why...I will have to remember that the monkey annoyed her.  LOL!

Here is a better picture of our happy girl!

All Souls Day

So, today is the day we remember those loved ones who have gone before us and we pray for them!  Yes...I know this is a strange concept for many who might read this post but it is a Biblical...there are many times when people prayed their loved ones after death.

In 2 Maccabees 12:38-46, Judas Maccabee orders that sacrifices be offered in the Temple in Jerusalem for slain Jewish soldiers who had worn pagan amulets (good-luck charms).   In 2 Timothy 1:18, St. Paul prays for Onesiphorus, who has died.

There is also evidence early in Christian history of prayers for the dead.  The earliest mention of prayers for the dead in public Christian worship is by the writer Tertullian in 211 A.D.

We are connected to the saints in heaven, the saints-in-waiting in purgatory and other believers here on earth.  So, here we throw out a word that some would say is not Biblical.  However, most believe in the Trinity which the word does not exist in and of itself in the Bible.  Purgatory...the place to PURGE us of our sins...is to cleanse us of any sins that we had at death.  For nothing unclean can make its way into Heaven....the place of perfection.  Purgatory is a temporary state of being in which the soul is readied for Heaven.  Otherwise, many more of us would find ourselves in Hell!

From another source:  Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59) The word “opponent” (antidiko) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with Satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out until the last penny is paid.

SO thankful for Purgatory when I think of my own sinfulness!  And I am also thankful that I can pray for those I love!  Because if you read my post yesterday...I have know way of knowing the fate of my loved ones but have the hope that they will be in Heaven and I will join them one day.

Eternal rest grant onto them o Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Happy All Saint's Day

All Saints' Day is one of my favorite feast days!  While others are dressing up like scary creatures and who know what (not saying you can't do this...just not for me!), like to look at this day for my fall feast day!

Why?  Because it reminds me of my goal in life!  To one day be in heaven with all the other saints.  The only way for me to get there is to hope for the promises of Jesus to be true and that my belief in Him...our Savior...to save me from my wretchedness.  Sounds dramatic and out of this world....but oh so true!  I am a sinner and it is only through Jesus that I could possibly get to the place of perfection that He has in store for all who believe in Him.

So, today I remember all those who followed in His way throughout the last 2000+ years, especially those in our times...our parents...grandparents...friends and family...who have gone before us.  And, I dream of the day when we will all be together in heaven.

Since we do not even try to presume who has made it into those 'pearly gates,' we can only pray that our loved ones are in fact there.  I think it is funny that when most people say not to judge others they usually refer to those who have done something wrong.  However, the way I look at it...I have no right to judge those who appear to have done good in their lives either.  We have no idea what is in ANYONE'S heart...so we are not to assume anyone is in heaven.  I leave it up to the Greatest Judge who is merciful and all-knowing.

So we went to church this afternoon and listened to the wise teaching from the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus introduced the Beatitudes to the people (Matthew 5:1-12).  What a message!  Can we really say we want this life of a Christian...and yet with the irony of such a life, we are able to live more fully in Christ!  That is what it means to be a saint!

So glad God gives us the grace we need to continue in this world.  So glad that I too will one day have that opportunity to stand before my Creator and ask to be carried in through those pearly gates because that is the only way I will be counted among the saints in heaven!

So, for all those saints in heaven unnamed and named, may we look to you as examples of Christ in this world.  Praise God that we have been given true heroes of the faith!  May we look to the saints as ever present examples of what Christ asks of us as his followers.  God bless all who have come before us to show us the way throughout time.