stacie's sacred space

goals

i cannot think of dad at this time of year without thinking of goals.

so following the post about him, i'll share some of my thoughts on the new year.

we went on a hike at a park i've never been to.

it was all through the woods.

i am going to hike there at least once a month this year and watch the seasons and nature change.

in january, it was with the whole tribe.

 

 

 

 

 

i love getting out in nature ... fresh air and beauty all around make me feel alive!

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i want to set smart goals and have a clear path, yet, what's become most important in my life is living out God's will for me.

how long have i prayed, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" without really praying it?

His will is often hard to figure out.

focused prayer time and going along with what unfolds throughout the days of my life is a start for me.

i have spent some time thinking about the different parts of my life and what goals i'd like to set.

PHYSICAL:

listening to my body is most important to me right now.

sometimes that means getting more rest, sometimes that means getting a massage, sometimes that means taking a hike.

SPIRITUAL:

practice centering prayer ... sitting still with God is a good way for me to see His plans for me unfold with as much clarity as i've been able to find.

keep wednesday morning meetings a priority.

morning devotional with the kids.

then i read this post, and it spoke to me.

memorize the sermon on the mount, matthew chapters 5-7.

i was afraid to listen.

it's not a catholic thing to do; i am not even sure i'm capable.

i had a friend text me that if i can run a marathon, i can do this.

she's my accountability partner, and the kids are even in on helping me.

and if memorizing is too hard, adding these scriptures to my lectio divina practice isn't bad! 

PROFESSIONAL:

i know i need a marketing plan for my biz.

i know i need to keep working on my website ... it's going to be a constant work in progress.

dave and i have been talking through a few things together.

more than anything, i feel like a professional momma.

especially this year with a business trip to the hospital planned for april 5th at 5:30 in the morning!

can you tell who might be a little excited about those details?

MY ONE LITTLE WORD:

that's something i've been thinking a lot about too.

i have a list of options for twenty13.

that will be another post sometime in the next couple weeks.

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so that's where i am with goals for this brand new exciting year of 2013!

now that i've put it out there, i'm so thankful the universe will meet me half way.

greetings

celebrate.

remember jesus.

love more.

enjoy your day.

be together.

keep traditions alive.

count your blessings.

that's what christmas is all about to us.

visiting

a few weeks ago i got to visit my baby with an ultrasound appointment.

we spent about an hour together.

i was fascinated!

each pregnancy has gotten more and more amazing to me.

maybe it's because as i grow older (i am advanced maternal age, ya know?), i appreciate life more.

i don't know ... it's just way way cool.

how did i get so lucky?

here's the babe's profile.

 

here's a high five from the babe!

 

 

here's a wee foot.

 

 

and the spine is beautiful too.

i forgot to request a pic of that though.

this baby's development is a work of art.

god is good!

i can't belive this miracle of growth and development is happening inside of me as i type or eat or sleep or drive or play.

i am thankful he or she is mine, and i can't wait to visit with this sweetie again in five weeks.

there's really nothing more i could want for christmas than to carry this little life around with me.

celebrating

today was janie's first penance.

 

i was reminded how grateful i am to have been born catholic and to have grown into my faith.

god's sanctifying grace is so real in the celebration of sacraments.

we were busy celebrating with janie all day today!

it's our thing to start special days with breakfast casserole cuz we need protein to sustain us.

 

we added in advent wreath candles, prayers, grace (janie's prayer partner), and cinnamon rolls.

 

all of the kids were all dressed and ready.

we were going to start with mass, hang at church for a half hour in between then participate in the penance service followed by confession.

i like things to go as planned!

yep, then dave noticed johnny wasn't acting himself and found that little guy had a fever.

scrap the plans, and hurry out the door to make it to mass with the two big kids.

rejoice sunday ... the rose colored candle on the advent wreath.

janie's rose colored dress.

one of my favorite scripture passages (phillipians 4:4-7).

it was very good.

then it's our thing to take the kid who had this first to the labrynth garden.

 

and apparently it's our thing to have unseasonably warm days when our kids have this special milestone.

 

while i was walking the labrynth today, i was reminded of how many twists and turns there are on that journey.

 

i also noticed that i kept thinking i made a wrong turn ... and when i ignored my head and kept going, i was on the right path all along.

i am not being led astray.

thank you, god!

we finished the evening out with a date night at janie's favorite restaurant, brio.

uninterrupted conversation.

playing games with her on her kids menu.

not having to wait her turn with mom and dad.

it was awesome!

i'm thankful to be jane brain's momma.

we are so proud of the young lady she's becoming.

advent

this season is chance our church gives us for a fresh start.

it's a time to get ready for jesus.

i have worked hard to prepare for this time of preparation so that i can enjoy the short days.

we cozy up at 391 ... together!

our home is decorated simply with reminders of the reason for the season throughout.

we light these candles during morning and evening prayer times.

my heart overflows with gratitude and joy.

 

 

what's a miracle?

one morning this past week during our devotional and prayer time, that's the question johnny asked me.

we all chimed in and talked about it for a while.

it was a gratitude practice without me harping on the j kids to be thankful.

my heart was full!

so what is a miracle?

joey: something that's impossible

dave: something totally unexpected

janie: something really good that happens

me: things that god does or gives us we are really thankful for

webster: an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs

we all agreed the biggest miracle of twenty12 was the tumor on jeffrey's femur disappearing.

thank you, god!!

i also believe that lots of miracles happen that we don't even know are happening.

i think we're protected from car accidents or sicknesses or job losses or other harm without even knowing it.

friday mornings

this is what we do.

we get out of bed early for the bread of life (6:40am mass) and panera bread!

 

 

i had a really hard time this summer even after dave and i made the decision to send our kids to the public school instead of the catholic school.

especially janie's sacramental year.

i didn't know how i would nourish these little j souls and strengthen their faith by myself.

why did i think i'd be doing it by myself anyway?

god is always willing to help!

anyway, one of the things i was really gonna miss was the prayer partnership that was between the middle school age kids and the little ones.

it's really neat, and it's one of my favorite parts of the k-8 education.

so i found a prayer partner for janie, and marked the calendar for regular meetings ... these friday mornings.

we got to know grace m. this summer.

she babysat the j kids so i could "get stuff done" a couple times a week.

she's sweet and adorable and and full of life and was definitely my "saving grace."

she comes to mass and panera with us every friday morning then we drop her off at school.

she's a good influence for janie!

we pray for her, and i'm confident she prays for sweet jane too.

most fridays it's just us three girls, and every once in a while we have a boy join us.

i don't ever like to turn down a boy's desire for mass!

so that's our story on friday mornings.

it's pretty special to me.

a prayer

love

this thing keeps popping up!

when i pray, read, talk, feel, listen.

it's a practice for me.

i desire to do all things with love, and come from a place of love.

i want to remember that everyone i meet wants to be loved too.

i need to practice loving myself well also.

the kids and i have talked a lot about it as we read kisses from katie together.

it's right here in this wholehearted parenting manifesto that i've attached below too.

brene brown rocks!

i got this gift from her.

i love it!!

 

and one other gift brene recently gave me was this quote from her twelve year old daughter, ellen.

"if i get to be me, i belong.

if i have to be like you, it's fitting in."

i want my kids to belong!

i want to love them enough to allow them to be who they are.

a daily prayer

holy god, my creator

i thank you for giving me

another day to praise you.

today may i be at peace with 

myself and with all whom i meet.

 

help me be aware of all i say that

my words will be words of peace.

help me be aware of my actions

that they will express only peace.

help me be aware of my thoughts

that they will be peaceful.

 

help me lord, that there will be

no small trace of violence in me.

lord, yahweh, help me to be

like your son, jesus, in all

i say, do and think.

let me this day put on peace.

amen.

-ginger kroos, opa 2009

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we are going to add this to our morning repertoire.

have i mentioned how much i love our mornings now that the kids don't leave for school until after 8:30?

peace is the thing i seek most.

well joy ranks up there too!

and those are two things i want my kids to know well.

so we'll pray for them together.