Be Careful

Be Careful who you send us...

Only send us the pretty children,

it doesn't matter what they look like,

they will be beautiful when we look on them.....

Only send us the gifted and talented,

it doesn't matter what they are capable of,

they will feel gifted when they see our excitement

at their accomplishments.....

Only send us the happy children,

it doesn't matter if they don't know where their joy is,

they will find it when we free them to explore all their feelings.....

Only send us the loveable children

because if you send us one who is unlovable

we will prove you wrong...........

Just One Thing…………….

What one thing could you do to improve your life?

Is there one thing you could do to improve your walk with the Lord? (to make it closer, more committed, more regular or more joyful) What one thing will enable you to have a better relationship with the one you were created to have fellowship with?

Is there one thing you could do to improve your relationship with your husband? (to remove tension, create love and honour the man God gave you to look after and be a helpmeet to) Think about the things which come from your mouth which can tear down your husband instead of building him up - what one change will make the biggest difference?

Is there one thing you could do to improve your relationship with your children? (to make them safer, more secure, better trained or just to remind you that they are a blessing and not a curse) - what one thing is their greatest need?

Is there one thing you could do to improve your home? (to make it better, cleaner, more organized, more welcoming, prettier or more homely). Look around - if you were about to have visitors what one thing would you want to do before they arrived - what one thing will make the biggest difference?

Is there one thing you could do to improve your organization? (to make things run smoother, better, easier and with less stress) What is the one thing that you know makes your life easier - but you still do not do regularly?

Hail Holy Queen

The first time I read this book it took me weeks because the concepts were so new to me, I kept having to stop to take them in.

The second time reading it was more of a celebration of the concepts which had sunk in during the 18 months between the 2 readings and it only took 24 hours!

I took it with me and read it while on the Walsingham Pilgramage.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our Life, our Sweetness, and our Hope.
To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To Thee do we send up our sighs mourning
and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
Thine Eyes of Mercy toward us,
and after this our exile show us the
Blessed Fruit of thy Womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us O Holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The Crowning of Our Lady of Walsingham

When I went to St Dunstan's for the Divine Mercy Service on Mercy Sunday they announced that there was a Pilgramage going to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham on the following Saturday.

I signed up and at 7am I was there ready and waiting to be picked up by the coach.

I set off in a group of 39 for a 4 or 5 hour journey to Walsingham. I did not know a single person, but it was a wonderful trip!

On the way there we prayed the rosary 3 times and prayed from many intentions as well as singing a few hymns. It was a prayer meeting on wheels.

The picture above is of the statue of Our Lady which was carried at the front of the mile long procession over the fields from the centre of the village where she was crowned with flowers before we set off.

Even along the procession people prayed the rosary together in groups as we walked along. I may not have known anyone at the beginning of the trip, but I was blessed to meet many Catholic Brothers and Sisters as the day wore on.
She was carried with great reverence and love to the Shrine of Walsingham and placed in front of the Chapel of Reconciliation where you can see her sitting in the photograph above. The window is beautifully etched and sadly the picture does not do it justice.

There was a service of reconciliation and many, many people waited in line to make their confession, unfortunately not everyone was able to as there were just not enough priests available to meet the demand.

There was a beautiful mass at the end of the day, before we set off for home. Below is a closer picture of Our Beauliful Lady.

The coach set off home and once again we prayed the Rosary together and sang hymns. We stopped off for an evening meal on the way home during which I sat with several of my new friends.

On the rest of the journey I had seveal discusions about my new faith and my journey so far. There was also lots of laughter and fun on the way home and one of the men sitting behind spoke to the gentleman who had been leading the rosary. He then anounced to the coach that I was a new convert received at Easter and the whole coach applauded and Albert the rosary leader smiled at me and said "Welcome Home"!

By the time I reached home I was filled up both Spiritually and Emotionally and had made new friends in 4 more churches.

Pray Without Ceasing..... Candlelight Supper

Another time I love to spend in "My Corner" is just before bed, when I delight in lighting some candles and I wind down, perhaps talking over my day with Papa, or the day to come. If I did not manage to do my Bible reading or pray my Rosary, I will do it now.

It is like a romantic candlelit supper with the lover of my soul....

Pray Without Ceasing...Coffee With Papa and Tea With Mama

As I said in my last post about praying always having a special time with God is very helpful in making sure that it happens regularly.

Sometimes though we need to find creative ways to encourage ourselves to do this.

One of the things I have found to help me is to do what I would do with my other friends. Often we enjoy having a good cup of coffee or a relaxing cup of tea together, so why should it be any different with prayer!

Early in the morning I like to have my first cup of Coffee With Papa. It commits my day to Him while I wake up and reasures me that my life is in His hands. Usually at this time I go through my planned bible reading for the day, I don't tend to do too much praying at this time, apart from general hello, I love you kind of stuff.

Then in the afternoon when I am flagging I have Tea With Mama. This is when I say My Rosary.

Pray Without Ceasing......Hermits Only Need Apply???

We are all called to pray without ceasing, but what does that actually mean?

Do we have to turn into hermits and live on our knees?

I don't think so because we are also called to love our neighbour and serve those around us, not to mention the great commission of making disciples throughout the world.

I believe that praying with out ceasing is more to do with our permanent attitude to God and awareness of His prescence and our relationship with Him.

Just like in the picture above, it is a way of resting on His support and casting our cares on Him because He cares for us. Knowing that all are thoughts are before His eyes and keeping Him ever in our hearts.

Then of course there are the casual conversations we have with Him as we go about our day.

I think maybe there are as many ways to pray as there are people! Breath prayers, rosary, prayer books, prayer journaling, prayer lists and on and on. We do not have to pray all ways as long as we pray always.


But like any relationship sometimes prayer takes more than letting it happen. There have to be special times of extra intimacy and in order to help them happen two things are the biggest factors - time and place.

Having a set time to meet with God in order to pray and read his word will have a huge inpact on your relationship with Him.

Another thing I have found to be a wonderful help is having a specific place...


I used to have a desk in our bedroom and that was quite good.

Then I had a desk in the livingroom as well as a kneeler and baskets and shelves for Christian Books, Bibles, Prayer Books and other necessities such as tissues for when I cry (cry, who me as if.....). That was great.

Unfortunately, when I started fostering the desk from the bedroom was moved into the kids bedroom which only left me with my corner in the livingroom.

Although this had been my favourite spot, once I started fostering I found that I could never get peace to use it, not even very early or late!

This had been going on for almost a year and I knew I was suffering for lack of quality time with the Lord.

Then our foster child decided he wanted to change bedrooms, for a smaller one.

Problem solved! In the bedroom he has vacated there is an ideal corner, so my husband and I are going to move into that bedroom eventually and in the meantime I have already set up that corner as my "Prayer Closet"

The corner has three walls and I formed a forth with a bookcase facing into the corner(just leaving a space to get in), added other bookcases my old desk was already in place, so I just had to add a chair.

After that I took most of my Christian books and put them on the shelves. I also added decorative plates of the Virgin Mary and the Crucifixion, candles and oil burners (and of course tissues for when I cry).







I have only had "My Corner" set up for a couple of weeks now, but already I can fell what a big difference it has made and I look forward to spending many contented times in it.

Veneration of the Divine Mercy

On Sunday afternoon I went to my first Mercy Sunday Service.

It was a wonderful experience. It was the first time I have been able to pray the rosary as a group, as well as praying the divine mercy chaplet which I only usually get to pray with my little grandson.

It was also such a humbling experience. Some of the congregation were very old and infirm and it brought tears to my eyes as they knealt for hours during the service.

Even more so it brought a lump to my throat as each and every one struggled to get down to kiss the feet of Jesus in the Divine Mercy Picture.

I pray that I can be as humble and faithful as these living saints!