Haven Heartbeats

I love Facebook…but I want some of my thoughts permanent……especially the family memories…..….and I want to blog more than I want to Facebook……

Since I met Facebook, I have rarely used my blog……..and I am not satisfied with that. So, I am going to try to put my Facebook thoughts on the blog sometimes instead of Facebook. (as if anyone cares  :)  )


I also have to let go of my tendency to always think the blog post must be long……..or more than random thoughts and ideas.  And, I will try to give up thinking I must always include links......just because I can.
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I kind of feel like my summer is just getting started. What with cool weather, baseball and preparing and going to Hawaii…..I feel like I missed the beginning of our summer. Then, we were home for only a couple of weeks…I worked more than usual……and we were quite busy….and then we took a trip to San Diego for Aunt Beth’s wedding to Uncle Tim……and then getting Sarah off to Austria…..I feel like only now can I breathe….and begin to face all of the organization needed in my life.
I just wish I could get enough sleep to support my endeavors. I will begin a very busy work schedule shortly…and then time will be tight again. So much to declutter and reorganize……sigh.

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Two summers ago, we sent our two oldest baby birds into the world…….one literally INTO the world.


This summer, we send three out into the world….the same two, plus the third oldest. We sent her literally INTO the world: a year in Austria.

Sarah left on Monday this week. Matthew returns to Thomas Aquinas College as a sophomore on August 20th. Marty will take him back to school. It is an 11 hour drive from our Hearts’ Haven.



Lucky us…….Anne will not return to Southern Oregon University for her final year until the end of September. This is the MAIN reason I have come to love the quarter system, finally.  We are all so excited to have over a month of quiet (ha!) life with her. She and Maddelyn are going to love this time together. And, Anne says she wil help me with meals so I can get some decluttering done.

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Hanging over my head is the school planning for 2011-2012. I mostly know what I need to do…I just wanted to have so much organization completed before I start into the final planning………sigh.

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Prayer requests that come to mind:
For my mom who is suffering from a nasty chronic disease.
For my daughter who must file a lawsuit against the company who caused her car accident almost two years ago…….come on, people…….just admit blame and let’s all move on!!!

For all of the folks I know who need St. Joseph’s help…….including our own private intentions.



For a friend and her husband who just recently began doing foster care.

 For my co-workers, especially one in particular. Things are pretty overwhelming right now at work. Pray for me, too…for when I have to be there. I am praying for a new situation.

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Just re-watched/listen to The Phantom of the Opera movie while I cleaned my room and bathroom. What an amazing piece of art! If you have never seen it, do! The summer of 2005 (?) was our summer of Phantom. We fell in love with the movie then......and the music.






We saw the musical on Broadway in summer of 2007. While it was good, I DO prefer this movie over the play. It is so well-done. I think it is one of the best musical-to-movie ever done. I hope the Les Miserables movie will be just as high quality. I hope!!! Cannot wait to see it!

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Blessings,

Chari



The funny things my kid says.....

I gotta love my nine year old little man.......he entertains me regularly with his cleverness.


I have listed a few amusing examples......it is somewhat difficult to paint the picture with words......but hopefully I can translate the humor....


Some of the instances may be those "I guess you had to be there " variety.....but at least I will have them written here for posterity.

I am so going to miss these cute little sayings when I no longer have a little one....

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You mean, not everybody has snow at their house for months on end???


We had to drive to the town south of us to pick up his sisters from their sewing lesson. As we were pulling away from my friend's house, he exclaims, as if it just suddenly dawned on him: "Hey! They don't have any snow here!..............they could play baseball if they wanted."


Of course this was most pleasing to his baseball-loving papa.


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Not too young to cuddle


A couple of mornings ago......he awakened too early for my preference, and climbed into my bed. I tried to convince him he wanted to go back to sleep.....but I failed. He was rambling about "being alive for one million days." I explained that no one could live that long.....that it would be impossible. I showed him that even if a person lived one hundred years, he would not even come close to one million days. He wanted to know how many days I had lived......sooooo, I began doing the math in my head........using 40 years for my age........till I realized......"Hey! Wait! I am not forty, I am 46!" Then I say....."Gosh. I will be 47 on my next birthday........that's almost 50..... I am getting old!" He throws his body on me and slyly states: "But you are still young enough to cuddle!"....smothering me with hugs. How cute is that!

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Why bother with one? Let's do the math here.


After confession, mass and communion, our family is in the habit of praying the following prayer & one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the Holy Father's intentions with the hopes to aid in the release of a soul (one soul) from purgatory.

Prayer Before a Crucifix

Behold, O good and sweetest Jesus,

I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight,

and with the most fervent desire of my soul

I pray and beseech Thee

to impress upon my heart

lively sentiments of faith,

hope and charity,

with true repentance for my sins

and a most firm desire of amendment.

Whilst with deep affection and grief of soul

I consider within myself

and mentally contemplate

Thy five most precious wounds,

having before mine eyes that which David,

the prophet, long ago spoke concerning Thee,

“They have pierced My hands and My feet,

they have numbered all My bones.”

Our niece, Sister Maria Philomena, sent a prayer card to us a long time ago.....long before he was born....., with a special prayer and request given from Our Lord to St. Gertrude.......


Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was later extended to include living sinners as well. Here it is:

"ETERNAL FATHER, I OFFER THEE THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THY DIVINE SON, JESUS, IN UNION WITH THE MASSES SAID THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TODAY, FOR ALL THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

APPROVAL AND RECOMMENDATION: M. Cardinal Pahiarca at Lisbon, Portugal, March 4, 1936

We have always offered this prayer whenever we pass a cemetery, to remind us to pray for the church suffering.

Okay, now you have the background info for his commentary.........


So, he says, from his seat way back in the Yukon XL (Suburban).......

"You know that prayer that we pray after mass all of the time?"
"Yeah"
"Well, every time we say it, one soul is released from purgatory, right?"
"Yeah"
"And, you know that prayer we pray every time we pass a cemetery?"
"Yeah"
"Well, if 1,000 souls are let out of purgatory every time we pray that one.....why do we even bother with the other one after mass?"\\

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More beautiful prayers of St. Gertrude

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If I had a super power.........


We were home alone, the wee boy and I:

Boy: Don't you wish that you had the super power to change yourself into anything you want?
Me: Mmmhmm.
Boy: Do you know what I would change myself into?
Me: No.
Boy: I would change myself into a kitten.
Me: Really?  A kitten?
Boy: Yes. If I were a kitten......I could cuddle up next to one of the kittens in the garage.....and then quickly change back into myself and grab it so that I could pet it.
Me: Ah, that would be clever.
Boy: If I were a kitten, I could run around under the bushes in the low areas to see what they see.
Me: That would be fun.
Boy: Yeah.......but I would have to be careful not to get eaten by a mountain lion!"

This kid cracks me up!

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One of my favorites....an oldie.....

He was about 3 years old, not yet weaned. Like one of his sisters before him, he called nursing "nigh', night."

The girls were watching "Pride & Prejudice" with Colin Firth.

Malachy tells them: "I like Lizzie the best. I think she is pretty. ......And...... 'her nigh', nights' are BIIIIIIG."

: ))))))))))

I know there are so many more........but my mind is unable to grasp them for now........thanks for reading along with me!

Blessings,
Chari

Praying for a New Saint!

This was a surprising find today! 

Doctor Giancarlo Rastelli

It turns out that the doctor who invented the procedure used  by Sarah's pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon to rebuild her heart is up for beatification  for sainthood.  What a fun connection!

I am looking forward to learning more about his life.  He died so young, at age 36 years.  He must have been a pious man at such a young age to be considered. 

His story reminds me of Dr. Moscati's story.  Have you read this?  His story is a great one for our modern times........especially for the boys.

Sarah's surgeon, Dr. Frank Hanley, may not be a saint, but he is one of the best surgeons on the world.  We found this out a few months after her first surgery.  In the last decade, he has invented a procedure for Tetralogy of Fallot.  It is pretty exciting. He will be known for this procedure forever.

Just wanted to share........and find a place to store the link so I could find it later.

St. John of God, patron saint of heart patients, pray for us!

Blessings,

Chari

Thanks, Saint Joseph...and to Ruth, too!!!

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Through the years, I always have many , MANY reasons to be grateful to

Saint Joseph

......but the latest reason..............is the inspiration he gave to my lovely Internet friend, Ruth.

Ruth was having a Saint Joseph Rosary give-a-way on her blog.......and I signed up. I was nearing the end of a 54 Day Rosary Novena, set to be completed in time for Saint Joseph's feast day in March. The novena was specifically being prayed for my husband (and all husbands!) and Saint Joseph's intercession was a special focus for the novena.

Before the drawing, I received an e-mail from Ruth, stating she wanted to make a rosary just for me........I just had to promise to also pray for her special intentions. Well, that's easy!

A couple of weeks ago, I received this beautifully handmade rosary in the mail, packaged in a lovely silk bag.

Ruth, as promised,

all of my rosaries have also included your special intentions....

....and always will.

Thank you so very much for your generosity. God will SO reward your sweetness!

Love and blessings,

Chari

PS: to find Ruth's handmade Rosaries.....see this website: Loreto Rosaries. Simply divine!

For the month of May, Mary's Month

Okay.......my original post tonight is below the line.

I thought it over and decided I needed to do a bit of research through Blogger's Help section......and the first attempt failed, using their video tutorial......but, their written info.........fixed my education........I think it will work!! Let's see!

So, the credit for finding this video goes to Buring the Candle at Both Ends.......

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I have no idea how to embed this video.........so, I will have to have you go to this blog............you can see it!

I am so proud of those kids. They are inspiring!

Oh! .......here is another video

So, here is the video at the above link..........now that I have it figured out! BEWARE! I will be using more video now! :)

God bless!

Love, chari


PS......If anyone knows how to embed video witout downloading it to my computer.......PLEASE teach me! I think I made my computer sick the last time I did it!

I did try to copy and paste the "embed" on youtube.......but I cannot get ALL of the link! ACK!

I am SO blessed!!!

I am so happy! I love God so much. And tomorrow He comes to me, in Holy Communion. I am so excited! My heart is so full of love, it is overflowing. This anticipation brings me such joy. And, first confession.....then Mass, with the Holy Eucharist.......followed by the opportunity to sit with Jesus.

Everyone else goes in to the parish potluck.......and I always stay behind in the chapel.

To adore.....

To beg forgiveness.....

To petition....

To give thanks.......

To praise......

To just sit and listen......

I offer up prayers for each of my family members by name.

And, I always light two candles before I leave, for some special intentions.

I love Mass. I love receiving Our Lord. I love my Catholic Faith.

I am so blessed.

Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving

for the Benefits Accrued from the Incarnation


Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,behold us prostrate in Thy divine presence. We humble ourselves profoundly and beg of Thee the forgiveness of our sins.I. We adore Thee, Almighty Father, and with hearts overflowing we thank Thee that Thou hast given us Thy Divine Son Jesus to be our Redeemer, and that He hath bequeathed Himself to us in the most august Eucharist even to the end of the world, revealing unto us the wondrous love of His Heart in this mystery of faith and love.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

II. O Word of God, dear Jesus our Redeemer, we adore Thee and with hearts over-flowing we thank Thee for having taken human flesh upon Thee and become for our redemption both Priest and Victim in the sacrifice of the Cross, a sacrifice which, through the exceeding love of Thy Sacred Heart, Thou dost renew upon our altars at every moment. O High Priest, O Divine Victim, give us the grace to honour Thy holy sacrifice in the most adorable Eucharist with the homage of Mary most holy and of all Thy holy Church, triumphant, suffering and militant. We offer ourselves wholly to Thee; of Thine infinite goodness and mercy do Thou accept our offering, unite it to Thine own and grant us Thy blessing.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

III. O Divine Spirit the Paraclete, we adore Thee and with hearts overflowing we give Thee thanks that Thou hast, with such great love for us, wrought the ineffable blessing of the Incarnation of the Word of God, a blessing which is being continually extended and enlarged in the most august Sacrament of the Eucharist. Ah, by this adorable mystery of the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, do Thou grant unto us and all poor sinners Thy holy grace. Pour forth Thy holy gifts upon us and upon all redeemed souls, and in an especial manner upon the visible Head of the Church, the supreme Roman Pontiff, upon all Cardinals, Bishops and Pastors of souls, upon priests and all other ministers of Thy sanctuary. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

My favorite two weeks in the Liturgical Year start tomorrow......that could be part of my joy, too. I love Lent.......and I love the last two weeks.

More about praying here.

Poetry, at Hearts' Haven

You may recall last year Matthew won our charter school and then our county Poetry Out Loud competitions and made it to the California State level.

Well, this year, Sarah is eligible to compete............and she won our charter school competition. She was great! I think she has a good chance in being in the top five of county, based on last year's competing students and the schools expected to be there this year. Please pray she can do her best! The competition is this coming Wednesday.

In the meantime, we are searching the Poetry Out Loud website for one more poem for her, and we found this poem below. We ALL fell in love with it immediately! We wanted to share.

Be Music, Night’

By Kenneth Patchen

(1911-1972)

Be music, night,
That her sleep may go
Where angels have their pale tall choirs

Be a hand, sea,
That her dreams may watch
Thy guidesman touching the green flesh of the world

Be a voice, sky,
That her beauties may be counted
And the stars will tilt their quiet faces
Into the mirror of her loveliness

Be a road, earth,
That her walking may take thee
Where the towns of heaven lift their breathing spires

O be a world and a throne, God,
That her living may find its weather
And the souls of ancient bells in a child's book
Shall lead her into Thy wondrous house

Oh, my! Isn't that just lovely! What visions do you see when you hear this poem?

And now, here are Sarah's two poems for competition:

A Psalm of Life

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

What The Heart Of The Young Man Said To The Psalmist.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,— act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

Her Kind

By Anne Sexton

I have gone out, a possessed witch,
haunting the black air, braver at night;
dreaming evil, I have done my hitch
over the plain houses, light by light:
lonely thing, twelve-fingered, out of mind.
A woman like that is not a woman, quite.
I have been her kind.

I have found the warm caves in the woods,
filled them with skillets, carvings, shelves,
closets, silks, innumerable goods;
fixed the suppers for the worms and the elves:
whining, rearranging the disaligned.
A woman like that is misunderstood.
I have been her kind.

I have ridden in your cart, driver,
waved my nude arms at villages going by,
learning the last bright routes, survivor
where your flames still bite my thigh
and my ribs crack where your wheels wind.
A woman like that is not ashamed to die.
I have been her kind.

Poor Anne sexton. She was obviously mentally ill. Can you see that in her poem? Sarah reads both of these poems so well. She has great emotion. She makes you believe that she believes every word she is saying. Marty and I are so proud of her.

And, now, one last thing.

My friend Gloria is going to have her 8th baby on Friday. Would you please pray for her?

(And, for those of you who think this is Gloria G....remember that her baby is only 4 months old! :) )

Blessings,

Chari

More Word speaking right to me......

With what we are currently doing these days, these words from God speak to my heart:

From the same source as the last post:

He leads me in right paths for His name's sake.

Psalm 23:3

I don't feel in no ways tired,

I come too far from where I started from.
nobody told me that the road would be easy.
I don't believe He brought me this far to leave me.

American Negro Spiritual




Our next path includes an unexpected trip to San Francisco too take Matthew to an interview on Monday. Thought we would spend time with our "family".........John & Gloria.....as long as we are down there. Considering on Wednesday morning the path was wiped out from under our feet suddenly........and then just as suddenly restored to us this afternoon........we certainly feel God at work here, leading us.

And, as for feeling "in no ways tired " .......well, let's just say I need to get together with God and work that one out. :)


Also, please pray for Sarah because first, before we go tomorrow, she is competing at the Poetry Out Loud competition at our local charter school.

I should have know I would take the time to blog (instead of pack) after I said no more blogging. :)

Now, off to figure out the passport info......maybe we will sign up tomorrow on the way out of town.

Love to you all! God bless!

Chari

Another Novena for the Election

My friend Alice sent this out on her novena email list:

This Novena to the Sacred Heart was said daily by St. Padre Pio for all those who asked for his prayers.

Please consider offering it once on November 3rd (or 4th) or nine times (nine consecutive hours) for our nation and for the outcome of the election.

Please click here for novena prayer:

http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/heart/sh_novena.htm

Here it is below:

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you." Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of...... (here name your request)


Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.


II. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of.......(here name your request)


Our Father...Hail Mary....Glory Be To the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.


III. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of.....(here name your request)


Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father...Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.


O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.


Say the Hail, Holy Queen and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.


-- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

PRAY!!

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Our Lady of Perpetual Help........

Pray for us!!

I thought Our Lady of Perpetual Help would be a good novena for the happenings in America right now........as well as the effects of it on all of us and our families. Please join along with us, asking Our Blessed Mother to intercede with God for us, for our country.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

O MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP, grant that I may ever invoke Thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying.

O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let Thy name henceforth be ever on my lips.

Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on Thee, for, in all my temptations, in all my needs, I shall never cease to call on Thee, ever repeating Thy sacred name, Mary, Mary.

O what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what emotion fill my soul when I utter Thy sacred name, or even only think of Thee.

I thank God for having given Thee, for my good, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name.

But I will not be content with merely uttering Thy name; let my hope for Thee prompt me ever to hail Thee, MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP.

MY HEARTS' HAVEN DAYBOOK 2008

You can find The Simple Woman here

For yesterday.........

My Hearts' Haven Daybook, August 10, 2008

Outside My Window.......it is still a bit smokey.....see my Summer of Smoke post...........at least we can see the mountains today. Yesterday started out lovely and by late afternoon the mountains had been obliterated............by 8pm it was a very creepy place.......dark, and yet it was not night. Ugh.

I am thinking..........I wish I could breathe more easily. I need to remember to email the homeopathic physician today!

I am thankful for..........my husband of 23 years today.......and my great kids that have come from this love.

Oh, and Anne overheard Marty talking to my friend Su last week while she was scrapbooking..........and he told her how much he loves Christmas because he gets a new scrapbooking album from me and a scrapbook calendar from my kids. I am glad he appreciates it.........esp when I need him to pay for the supplies. :)

From the kitchen.......shall I be too embarrassed to say??? As we have been company away from home, or had company at home for 14 days straight.......we are exhausted. We are tired of chopping and baking...........there is a Costco Lasagna in the oven for my meat-eaters.........the vegans will be fending for themselves tonight. Will probably add steamed verggies fresh from the garden.

I am wearing........oh, no......not again!.........another camping dress :) I got out of the shower and put my swimsuit cover dress on because it is light, airy and flowing.............and it is just what I needed today.

I am creating.......this, I guess. I NEED to be creating a meal plan for our camping trip this week. So not in the mood. (update.........I am starting to be inspired, finally)

I am going..........to try to go accomplish something.....anything.......maybe clean-up the garage a bit to please my hubby who got stuck at work today :( It is just a grocery-run that needs putting in its place. And, then, maybe a school check-list for my almost 7yo. I think he will like that. I will revamp someone's past list. I am also going to call my youngest sister. Update: garage is done and I cleaned the car out............ready for camping packing.......and I started collecting some of the camping supplies.

I am reading.........same as last week, plus a bit of the first issue of mater et magistra that showed up here last week.

I am hoping..........I can get the school stuff in order for starting ALL of the kids by next Monday. Four out of six are accounted for.............I saved the two easiest for last.........and will need to go over everything with the other kids again...........to give them a reminder. THIS is SO much better than last year's start.

I am hearing......Josh Groban singing Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. I LOVE his voice..........I LOVE that song........and Malachy imitating 2yo Charlotte saying: "Say you berr not, you berr not."

Around the house.......LOTS of laundry to be folded..............scrapbook stuff to be put away..........mostly quiet with three of the kids off helping a friend to paint for $$.

One of my favorite things.........is a Rosary novena. I just love the grace. Praying to start one on the 14th, so it can end in time for the Feast of the Holy Rosary.

Please leave any special intentions in my comment section, and I will add it to my Rosary novena. I would love to pray for you!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Prepare to go camping near Crater Lake National Park, go camping near Crater Lake National Park and clean-up from camping near Crater Lake National Park. :) Enough said.

Special prayer requests on my mind this week: Continued prayers for two of my favorite people who are expecting baqbies the same week of September. My kids are SO excited.........two cousins in one week! (one is blood and the other via friendship) The only thing better is a new sibling of their own ;) This they will tell you.............(no, I am not pregnant) ......and my private intentions.

I am currently scrapbooking........I am just SO excited.........I never got to do anything on my wedding album till this morning.......and I got the WHOLE thing finished today......it only took two and a half long years.......but it is DONE!............AND, all the photos are in place in the other album.......journaling and extras to follow. I will plug away at that over the next few months in order to hand it finished to Marty for Christmas. Now, ready to start the next album, which includes my college graduation and the birth of my first niece and my firstborn.

At this point, officially, slightly less than 21 years behind! yes! I think I now have six albums done:
~Christmas photos and newsletters
~Wedding
~Our Hearts' Haven (building the house and developing this property)
~Marty's family and pre-marriage life
~My family and pre-marriage life
~what I call "Our Story"......Volume one is completed for viewing

YES! Only a million to go!!! I keep taking photos! :)

Malachy finally started his own album: he did great and has four pages done. He has been paying attention to the details of my scrapbooking and his siblings, too, and has style already. And, show him how to use the tools once...........he gets it. Very cute. He is scrapbooking our trip from last fall: Disneyland, Getty Museum, ocean visit, Aunts and Uncles..............

NOTE: I stand corrected from a past blog post: My friend Patty, who so graciously tutors my boy in math (not remedial......just to keep him moving forward.......which HAS been difficult this summer. All too soon school will officially start.....then he will be on task......anyway.........), has let me know that my grandma is not the only one who reads my blog regularly. Thanks, Patty. :)

Here is picture thought I am sharing........

I LOVE this photo..............straight out of my raspberry patch, last June, just as they were ripening.

God bless your week.

Keep our travels in your prayers, please.

Chari

PS: School starts next week.......so, do not get too used to all of this posting......it is short-lived. :)

2008-----THE SUMMER OF SMOKE-----UGH

Most of you know that last summer was barely spent at home........there was a two-month cross-country trip, the Star-Spangled Adventure, followed by six weeks of rehearsals and performances of three plays and then two weeks at Disneyland and San Diego.

Our family was SO looking forward to staying home all summer..........we had wonderful plans.............exploring new hikes and old favorites (since we live in one of those hiking-central kind of places), taking daily walks in the evening and or morning (since I really need the exercise), walking out to "our meadow," inviting friends over.........breakfasts, lunches and/or dinners at the Lake, like we used to do in the old days.......really working on the property, establising new beds of flowers and herbs........maybe working on a Mary Garden and sunflower houses.

Sigh........VERY BIG SIGH..................

As you are probably aware..........there have been a lot of fires burning in Northern California.

At the end of that week I was ill..........there was this strange evening, on Saturday, June 21st........when this big lightning storm came over the top half of the state. There was little rain.............but someone reported more lightning strikes than anyone had ever counted in a storm before. The sky was so forbidding.

By Monday afternoon, it was reported by Sacramento that there were over 840 fires in the Golden state of California..........and all, but three were north of Sacramento. Isn't that scary?

And then, the SMOKE arrived..................and it has barely lifted in the four or five weeks since.

The air quality is too poor for hanging outside, for opening windows, for seeing our beautiful scenery.

The only thing it is good for: are amazing sunsets. When else are you able to look directly at the sun without being blinded???

I have included some photos below..........to share what we have been seeing here.............

The photo below is our backyard view, taken just before dusk last week. Today, you could not even see this mountain.

The view from the site of my future gazebo:

Um, what do you mean you cannot see Mount Shasta therebehind the trees???? This has been our view of Mount Shasta all summer. VERY BIG SIGH..........my husband says he is miserable this summer...........like it is another very long winter. sigh. poor guy, he has such a great view of Mount Shasta from his desk at work......and......he is getting so tired of winter. this does not help much. oh, well........

Two views, above and below, of the same sunset. I love the close-up of the trees below. I LOVE my zoom on my camera..........I am at least 100 feet from this tree.

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The photos below are a series of one sunset in particular. Both Matthew and I took these photos.

They are kind of amazing.........but not like what we saw in person...........

WOW

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This last one is so cool.

Matthew got the weathervane on top of our chicken coop.

It is much clearer before I had to shrink the photo to get it on the blog.........but, you get the picture. Pun Intended. :)

I posted all of these photos a few days ago, waiting for time to journal.......only to have such two clear days, I thought maybe our summer would be redeemed. On the way home from work yesterday, I saw this amazing and HUGE wall of smoke in the north........you could see the sun-kissed, orange smoke floating to the west. Well, we went from one of the clearest days all summer to one of the worst days all summer. Today was so bad, I do not think even non-respiratory-impaired folks should be out. It was very painful. All of the mountains in the photos above did not even exist today.......... :(

Please remember all of the fire-fighters in your prayers, and their families. They make great sacrifices for us. I appreciate what they are doing..........and I feel bad for them having to work with no rain in sight........high temperatures.........and in all of that smoke. I hear the smoke is worse in the towns south of us. UGH.

Blessings from Smokeville!

With love,

Chari

THE DIAGNOSIS IS STILL A MYSTERY

.......and will remain so, I expect!

I know it has been awhile since I got a post in lately.............(besides the 4th!).......my excuse is kind of a good one, this one time :)

On Father's Day I started having strange symptoms.......that by Monday were so severe, I needed to go to the ER, per my primary MD, and homeopathic MD, too......they were worried I might have a spinal infection, and the pain was beyond tolerating, even for my high pain tolerance.

Thankfully my labs came back without proof of infection.....I think it may have been the prayers of my friends and family.......but I was hospitalized for pain control, which we got by about 1:30am. I had more medications in 24 hours than I have had in 24 years. Ugh. Most of you know that was beyond MY comfort zone........I ended up feeling weak and wiped-out with nausea and a severe headache for the whole week. Funny, I had some fantasy that once the pain was under control, I would be feeling my normal self........I guess not! The recovery time shocked me.

Oh, I also had an MRI which showed that I have what we KNOW was wrong with my back (and unrelated to these issues)........and thankfully, nothing else.

So, that is my excuse. :) Once I got better..........it was too hard to get to the computer to write when I had just lost a week in my life.......lots of catching up to do. Has not happened yet, of course...............but I am plugging away. Barely.

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The insurance paper just came in for this hospital visit...........and I am in a state of shock. For a 32 hour stay in the hospital.......and I was not even that sick..........it looks like the charge is about $8,800. Is that SICK or what? I NEVER go to the ER............I rarely go to the doctor's office............this amount $$$ may be a deterrant in the future. This does not even include the MD bill or the radiologist's fees. Yikes! If I am going to spend $3,000 I would like to see a new used car sitting in the drive-way.........or take a wonderful trip somewhere.........or that gazebo I want.......ya know?

And, all of this money, for a day in the hospital........and no real diagnosis to show for it.

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In suffering this trial, I was SO blessed by my friends........I owe thanks to some special people during this time........


In order of blessing:

My dear friend Willa kindly posted a prayer request for me, and my 4-Real friends came in mighty strong and generous, and for that I am most definitely eternally grateful. Even if I felt lousy, getting to talk to Willa daily was fun. :) Looking forward to continuing the habit! :)

My husband..........for staying with me at the ER even though I told him I was just fine, he could go back to work. :) I REALLY needed him there. I am glad he stayed.........plus, at least he knows I really needed to be there.........especially when he looks at that bill. :/

Oh, and he also drove four of the kids up to Oregon to see their orthodontist, since I was still too ill to deal with the three hour round-trip drive to the appt.

David......he is my friend, and also my doctor. I had called him that morning and he sent me to the ER. In the ER they were unable to do anything more than vital signs till the ER MD could come see me...........David walked into the door to find me, and got the ball rolling, ordering me pain meds and fluids and the tests I needed. Phew! I had to wait at least 45 minutes on that guerney for help......he was such a sight for MY pained eyes! He is the best doctor for ME. I appreciate how respectful he is about understanding how I can take responsibility for my family's healthcare....and in using alternative therapies and avoiding drugs most of the time. And, it is nice we can pray for each other. He was surprised to hear from me that day, even asking me on the phone: How urgent is it, Chari??? teasingly, only seeing I meant business. He KNOWS I never call unless I have a REALLY good reason. :)

I left a message for my dear friend Louise to let her know I was going to the ER, and when I got to the "floor" she asked what she could bring. She started listing items.......food, tea, magazines.......and in the background I hear little Miss Miranda (5 years old) chime in with "a fresh cut flower?" :)

......that is SO Miranda :)........so, I said YES, a fresh cut flower would do me just fine. The girls also brought me some yummy hot tea, one of my favorites, Vanilla Hazelnut by Celestial Seasonings, and some House Beautiful magazines. The next day they brought me fresh fruit because the hospital food for breakfast was disgusting, truly. Hmmmmm.....I think Miranda brought me some chocolate, too. These two are such gems! And, I am not sure..........I cannot remember, but I think Louise may have given a ride to one of my kids for a class.

(Interesting side note: Louise and I were born in the same hospital in Los Angeles less than a year apart...... :) )

I tried to call my dear friend Shawna to let her know I needed prayers as I headed into the ER, but was unable to get through to her.........I asked Louise to let her know..........when Shawna returned Louise's call......Louise's husband said she went to see me in the hospital........and immediately after Louise arrived, Shawna's cheery face was besides hers! Wasn't that sweet? It is so fun how the three us of make such a perfect trio of friendship. We balance so well. It SO reminds me of C.S. Lewis's descriptions in The Four Loves about friendship. I want to read it to them someday.

The three of them stayed and chatted with me, as once the pain medicine began working, I felt better.......no surprise, eh? :)

The rest of the week, was tough, as I mentioned above, a severe headache and intermittent seasickness.........so on Friday, I had two of my kids needing to be in the town about 40 min north of us for dentist appts I had already cancelled due to my Aunt's funeral in May..........and because I was too seasick to drive, Shawna drove me up there.......... Now, how is that for friendship? :) Such kindness...............

While I spent that one day in the hospital, I wandered over to my own department, OB, where I found my friend and co-worker, Micki. We chatted about what was going on, and she said she would come to my room and give me a massage, from the shoulders up. My nasty headache looked forward to that! Micki has a healing touch......I very much appreciated her coming to take care of me. Thanks, friend!

The nurses at the hospital took good care of me.........Donna G was working the desk and was very sweet, making sure my needs were met. I hope I was a good patient........some RNs are not :) I may not always like to be at work...........but I know there is no where to be found the quality of folks who work at my hospital. Our customer service is second to none........which is documented.....in spite of being the smallest hospital in the third largest hospital corporate system.....with the highest customer service....consistently over the years. We have won big $$$ awards for it.....over 21ish other facilities.

Thanks to Meg, one of my husband's faithful employees........she and her roomate sent me a get-well card. She is so sweet, always doing things like this.

I know there were friends who were praying for me......even if I was not chatting with them...........Patty was out of town.......and she told Maria..........and I know they both were praying for me. And Gloria, I am guessing was praying for me :).........she was there all day with me on Sunday, when I could not face life........and then on Monday when she came to pick up her oldest child who was staying at my house, I was already off to the hospital. And Sheila, too.........who told Jen! Thanks, friends!

And, lastly listed, but of course not last, my wonderful kids..........who did not skip a beat but kept the house going all week, and took care of me..........and my own family, who were praying for me in Nevada and California.......wherever they were.

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And, at the end of the week, on Saturday, June the 21st, was a lovely day spent with some lovely women at a homeschooling mom's retreat at my dear friend Shawna's beautiful home. And then this was followed by about 2.5 hours of rambling Shawna's new home on 11 acres with her and her mom and her two little girls. The meadows were in full bloom, we waded in the creek.........it is SO Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie.......just like Plum Creek! And, I mean the ACTUAL Plum Creek......I would know, I have been there! :) We walked through grass taller than the little girls, and sometimes us. Such a nature preserve......and just what my house-bound soul needed.

Thank you again to all of you who were praying for me. Hopefully this is the end of the story (with the exception of paying those bills......ugh!).............though I am occasionally feeling tinges of that same discomfort. I seriously doubt I will head to the hospital for any next bout. :/

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Now, I will try to get back to regularly scheduled blogging :)

God bless!

*Chari*

A Most Beautiful Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Sacred Heart A Salutation Prayer

by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

Hail, Heart of Jesus, save me!

Hail, Heart of my Creator, perfect me!

Hail, Heart of my Saviour, deliver me!

Hail, Heart of my Judge, grant me pardon!

Hail, Heart of my Father, govern me!

Hail, Heart of my Spouse, grant me love!

Hail, Heart of my Master, teach me!

Hail, Heart of my King, be my crown!

Hail, Heart of my Benefactor, enrich me!

Hail, Heart of my Shepherd, guard me!

Hail, Heart of my Friend, comfort me!

Hail, Heart of my Brother, stay with me!

Hail, Heart of the Child Jesus, draw me to Thyself!

Hail, Heart of Jesus dying on the Cross, redeem me!

Hail, Heart of Jesus in all Thy states, give Thyself to me!

Hail, Heart of incomparable goodness, have mercy on me!

Hail, Heart of splendor, shine within me!

Hail, most loving Heart, inflame me!

Hail, most merciful Heart, work within me!

Hail, most humble Heart, dwell within me!

Hail, most patient Heart, support me!

Hail, most faithful Heart, be my reward!

Hail, most admirable and most worthy Heart, bless me!

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Our family is going to pray this as a novena starting on June 1st. Please join us if you can!

We will be praying for you and all of your intentions.

~Chari~

An Original Prayer....

A long time ago, my kids authored a new year offering. I want to put it here for posterity's sake. It is sweet, coming from the hearts of children.


My sweet, Jesus! We thank Thee for all the blessings in our lives up to this moment, especially for those of the past year. We offer the new year, for love of Thee. Please guide our steps in a greater love and understanding for Thee. We ask many blessings upon our home and family. We pray for peace and love and perseverance in grace. We beg Thee for justice in this new year. we long to be with Thee, Dear Jesus. Amen.

Hmmmm.........wonder how much I helped them. :)

~C~

Litany of the Infant Jesus

The kids and I found this beautiful litany from one of our favorite books:
A Prayerbook of Favorite Litanies compiled by Father Albert J. Herbert, SM

Litany of the Infant Jesus

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.

Infant, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Infant, true God, have mercy on us.
Infant, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Infant, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.
Infant, strong in weakness, have mercy on us.
Infant, powerful in tenderness, have mercy on us.
Infant, Treasure of grace, have mercy on us.
Infant, Fountain of love, have mercy on us.
Infant, Renewer of the heavens, have mercy on us.
Infant, Repairer of the evils of the earth, have mercy on us.
Infant, Head of the angels, have mercy on us.
Infant, Root of the patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Infant, Speech of the prophets, have mercy on us.
Infant, Desire of the Gentiles, have mercy on us.
Infant, Joy of shepherds, have mercy on us.
Infant, Light of the Magi, have mercy on us.
Infant, Salvation of infants, have mercy on us.
Infant, Expectation of the just, have mercy on us.
Infant, Instructor of the wise, have mercy on us.
Infant, First-fruit of all saints, have mercy on us.

Be merciful,
spare us, O Infant Jesus.
Be merciful,
graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus.

From the slavery of the children of Adam, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the slavery of the devil, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the evil desires of the flesh, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the malice of the world, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the pride of life, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the inordinate desire of knowing, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From blindness of spirit, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From an evil will, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From our sins, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most pure Conception, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most humble Nativity, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy tears, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most painful Circumcision, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most glorious Epiphany, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most pious Presentation, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most divine life, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy poverty, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy many sufferings, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy labors and travels, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Infant Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Jesus, Infant, hear us.
Jesus, Infant, graciously hear us.

Let Us Pray

O Lord Christ, Thou were pleased so to humble Thyself in Thine incarnate divinity and most sacred humanity as to be born in time and become a little child. Grant that we may acknowledge infinite wisdom in the silence of a child, power in weakness, and majesty in humiliation. Adoring Thy humiliations on earth, may we contemplate Thy glories in Heaven, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns forever. R. Amen.


Lovely, no?

~C~

A Beautiful Christmas Prayer

O God of love, who has given a new commandment through thy only begotten Son, that we should love one another, even as thou didst love us, the unworthy and the wandering, gave thy beloved Son for our life and salvation; we pray thee, Lord, give it to us, thy servants, in all time of our life on earth, a mind forgetful of past ill-will, a pure conscience and sincere thoughts, and a heart to love our brethren; for the sake of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord and only Savior

~~~Coptic Liturgy of Saint Cyril