Buy Her an Angel Today!

Do you ever think about how the Holy Spirit makes Himself known in your life? Sometimes I experience His presence  like a gentle breeze whistling through my soul, other times He brings a burst of joy or a flood of tears...   He really is delightful, surprising and astonishing at times! Yet other times I sense His instruction in the form of a foreboding warning, "Don't read that book, or go to that place." I have often been given such warnings that sometimes years later have been confirmed. It is sometimes what I like to call the gift of 'sensing.' Other's might call it intuition, but I like to call it a gift of the Holy Spirit.

I would like to officially declare my love of the Holy Spirit!

Yesterday, I had something remarkable happen and I am so happy to share the story with you! I see a number of professionals for a variety of issues and often times I see them regularly. One woman had a variety of angels in different places in her office. Every time I visited her office, I would take note and talk to her about different spiritual things. During one of my visits, I sensed that I should add to her collection and buy her one -- an angel. I see the woman on a regular basis, and the thought came and went, eventually I dismissed it as a case of my love of shopping and at times spending too much money! I decided while it was a nice idea, surely I couldn't buy something every time I had the idea! 

Then yesterday, 

something REMARKABLE happened.

I had the thought again, 

"Buy Vivienne an angel."

 Except this time, there was a sense of urgency about it.

I was scheduled to see Vivienne later that day and in between a variety of appointments, I went angel shopping. Again, I became dismissive about the command of buying her an angel. I saw one I liked, but then I put it down. I like to go to noon mass, and it was about to start, just across the street from the from the mall. I had the angel in my hand, and decided to put it down and forget the entire idea altogether. I rationalized myself out of the thought and went to mass. After mass, I became completely convicted and determined to get the angel I was holding earlier. I went back to the store. It had disappeared. I was a bit stunned, because this gift store with filled to the brim with dozens and dozens of statues. When I couldn't find it -- I sensed a battle going on. I did sense that Satan was interfering, so I rallied up some holy determination. I spoke to the sales clerk, she made it clear she hadn't sold it in the last hour. We rummaged through the store thoroughly and found another one of these angels in a remotely different spot. My heart sank when I noticed it was damaged and not fit for a gift. But from that statue, the clerk was able to get the serial number. My heart soared to heaven and back when she found a brand new one packaged still in the box. She wrapped it up for me and I was one happy camper! 

Here is the supernatural part. I headed off with angel in hand to my meeting with Vivienne. When I got there, I learned she wasn't there this particular day, which was highly unusual. We had a meeting. 

Through a series of coincidences, I ended up in Vivienne's office anyway.

I sensed something was off. I sensed something was wrong. 

I asked others in the office who maintained her confidentiality and simply said, 

"Vivienne will be back next week." 

I left my angel all wrapped up in her office, a gift for her return next week.

When I got back to my own office and checked my voicemail, I heard this message.

"Vivienne will not be available for your meeting tomorrow, she called in and has a family emergency"

I was struck by the series of events. How about you? 

Do you have a story to share? About the Holy Spirit?

Mother's Day! Celebrate a Different Way!

With Mother’s Day approaching, like any modern day mom, I am looking forward to celebrating the day. I must admit, I love breakfast in bed, I love receiving the gifts, the flowers, the homemade cards. I particularly enjoy enjoying relishing in the graces of the day. I must admit tho, my mind does go back to a different version of Mother’s Day. I have very fond and vivid memories of taking part in an annual Mother’s Day recital, hosted by my home parish, St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, run by the Oblates of the Immaculate Mary in Toronto. 

 Sister Archangela, and a host of other Felician sisters, would orchestrate an event after mass that honoured the vocation of motherhood. Children would recite beautiful poems celebrating the tenderness and love of a mother, musicians would play songs on the depth of her love and prayers would be prayed to thank God for the gift of our mothers. Oh yes, and don’t forget the flowers, mothers were showered with flowers and often times a formal blessing by the pastor. 

It was no doubt a potently beautiful event that did not shy away from being religious, and I loved it! As a young girl, I was deeply moved by participating in these recitals, it stirred within my soul such gratitude and longing to become a mother. In the Polish culture, while I was growing up, mothers were revered, the vocation itself considered sublime.
  

There was sacredness in the celebrations of the day, and yes those celebrations were linked to Mary, the Mother of God. Each mother knew that she had a duty before God, not only to care for her children, but to pass down the Catholic faith.

As, I was raised, I knew becoming a mother, meant not only embracing a hearty list of things to do, to buy, to organize—it wasn’t only a photo opportunity of happy moments, becoming a mother involved an level of accountability before God Himself. 

It’s a stark contrast to secular Mother’s Day celebrations which at times to me, ring hollow. 

Very recently, my mom, from her death bed, announced,

 “The only thing, I have ever wanted was

 to succeed at passing down the Catholic

 faith. To have children, who practiced 

and lived their Catholic faith from the 

bottom of their hearts.”

It really did get me thinking. 

Can you imagine living with that goal as a desired end in mind? 

How different the world would be all Catholic mothers made passing down the Catholic faith as their life’s priority?

Imagine for just a second, if we all forgot all of the other things that seem to pull at us as mothers, what would our life look like?

I don't know if I am the only mom who thinks that sometimes the world is completely upside down. It appears that some mothers seem to make EVERYTHING else a priority in their lives. Honestly, it drives me crazy!

I was edified when a few days ago, a friend on Facebook, posted this as her status, 

"My number one goal as a mom is to do everything in my power to help my children get to Heaven. This ultimately, is all that matters. Pray for your children every day, teach them our beautiful Catholic faith, and help them develop a wonderful relationship with Jesus and His Blessed Mother. Your children will be eternally grateful."

It got me thinking maybe we should all consider hosting a Mother’s Day recital in our parish!

 This blog post was written in memory of my mom,

 Teresa Pilarski who passed away on April, 12, 2013.

Motherly Musing -- Morning Prayers!

I was talking to my mom yesterday and since she is quite frail, and her voice weak, I have found myself listening to her a little more carefully.

The strong, confident comanding voice is weakening, but on another level it has grown stronger.

She is spending much of her time praying. And, I know she will continue to evangelize until her very last breath. She has ALWAYS talked about matters of Faith to my sister and I, ever since I can remember!

That is just my mom.

I have been blessed with a mother of incredible Faith. She is a survivor of World War 11 -- She was 13 years old when her home was bombed in Warsaw, Poland.

Yesterday, as always, she spoke to me about the importance of morning prayers. I am a wife and mother and my own mother is still reminding me of the importance of devoting time to prayer first thing in the morning. I have very vivid memories growing up, with her bellowing voice,

"Did you say your morning prayers?"

Just like any kid, sometimes I said them, sometimes I didn't, most times I looked at the crucifix above my bed and did the sign of the cross.

I have very vivid memories of seeing both of my parents, at different times, getting on their knees and saying their morning prayers, leaning against their beds, first thing when they got up. Since my dad and often my mom, left the house at the crack of dawn to got to work, I knew they were rushed, but they never lacked the time to say their morning prayers.

Morning prayers shower us with graces first thing. Those prayers bring us into His presence and focus us on His Will.

Yesterday, February 17, 2013, my 86 year old mom was reminding me of the importance of saying your prayers before you leave your bedroom.

"Once you leave your bedroom, you are subject to distraction, the coffee maker, demands of your kids, light housekeeping, tidying, all pulls us away from the VERY FIRST THING we ought to be doing, saying our morning prayers!"

There was a time, that I neglected morning prayers. I remember a good speaker, talking about making a committment during Lent. He suggested making a small committment, but sticking to it. Something like saying your morning prayers!

Since then, it's been quite the journey, sometimes I have prayed too long first thing in the morning, other times I prayed kneeling with my toddlers before a crucifix we have hanging in our kitchen, now that they are teenagers, I find myself saying three short prayers in the car on the way to school.

At this point in my life, I now find myself saying my morning prayers twice! Once as soon as I get up, in my room. I love just saying the words, "Thank you Jesus, or Help me Jesus" to the beat of my heart. Don't ask me why, but for some crazy reason, I can hear my heart beat most times of the day!

But, it is my prayer, that I always remain a mother, who asks,

"Have you said your morning prayers?"

I found this quote. I just had to share. 

In order to succeed in it (prayer), it should be done when we first awaken, when our whole being
is calm and recollected. We need to make our meditation before anything else.
- Saint Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)

S*E*C*R*E*T -- But it's GARBAGE

I was at Chapter's shopping the other day and noticed the cover of this book. 

I must admit it caught me eye.

I guess my Guardian Angel was watching over me because after reading this review, I am so happy that I did not pick it up.

Why is there so much garbage out there?This excellent blog post will give you some insight and truth about the motivations and sexual themes presented by the person who wrote this book.

http://everydayforlifecanada.blogspot.ca/2013/02/secret-just-another-shade-of-grey.html

Is your home a castle?

It's so funny.... I often come across couples who are procrastinating getting married, or procrastinating having children because they are saving to buy a house... or something... And I can't help but thinking they have it all backwards. God has given you a GIFT in your fiancee. God has given you a GIFT with your fertility. Why in the world want to delay getting married? Why would you want to delay having children? If you view them as a gift from God, wouldn't you want to embrace those spiritual gifts as a priority? I will never forget relishing in the grace that helped me see that my newborn daughter did not care about the size of my house, whether I owned it or not, all she cared about was having mommy hold her, feed her and love her! We rented for the first FIVE years in our marriage. We had both of our children in a rented house! Why do couples think that they have to have it ALL right away? There is no security except for God's mercy, His providence and care! A real castle is a home filled with love and tenderness, not equity and stuff. In fact, the stuff, and yes the BIG house CAN be a distraction to family life.