Empty Box = Full Lesson

Maybe its because the kids are getting older...

Maybe its because they are too much like a parent before them...

Maybe its because if they didn't get to them first, they wouldn't get any...

Maybe its because they don't want to get caught...

In any case, I found an empty box of cookies in the cupboard, neatly placed so that it looks like it has never been touched and opened. Another empty box/container kept special in the cupboard to fill with childhood memories:

One Christmas, my dear mother baked cookies. Actually, she baked every Christmas, but this one fills the cookie box today. She kept the cookies in the deep freezer out in the garage. A perfect place for cookies to be kept until Christmas; that is, unless you have a dear husband and 7 kids looking for treats.

About 2 weeks before Christmas, my mom decided to pull out a container of cookies. My grandparents were coming to celebrate my brother and I's December birthdays. Well, she pulled the container out and opened it. The container was empty, so she pulled another. It was empty. And another, and another and another: all empty! All the sudden we heard an agonizing "NOOO!" come from the garage. Mom went through the cookie containers (11 or 12 of them) which were supposed to be full of cookies-all empty!

A little later, Mom shared the story the neighbor, who also had a big family. And the neighbor lady said she was getting together with her adult girls to make Christmas cookies. My mom wished us girls were old enough to do that, but that was not the case. So, she got busy baking again, and made a few more containers worth. This time, she marked them "For Christmas! Don't Eat!" In the meantime, the generous neighbor lady came over with about 5 dozen of their Christmas cookies to share. Thank God for neighbors!

So, today's lesson for me comes from my mom whom I love, a memory, and an empty box: We must give and keep giving even when there is nothing in it for ourselves. Yes, there's nothing in it for me. It's not about me, but Christ who lives in me, doing His work. And as we keep giving, he fills us with more! It's all about Him.

Our Lord to St. Catherine of Siena (youngest of ≈ 25 children)

Do you know My daughter who you are and who I am? You are she who is not, and I am Who Is.

I spread the grace of my Spirit where I will... Be brave and obedient when I send you out among people. Wherever you go I will not forsake you, I will be with you, as is my custom, and will guide you in all that you are to do.

kinda sounds a lot like John 14.

All for the Glory of God!

Note:

1. Now just so you know, freezer cookies are different from fresh cookies or treats left out on the counter. When we got into those, we NEVER took the last one! It was then that we were working on our sharing hearts. ;)

2. Even to this day, (my dad is the only one home) she puts a note on the special containers: "For _____, Do Not Eat!" It is understood, and everything else is free for all! (Her notes remind me of Adam and Eve, and the forbidden fruit ;) )

Rest

I wouldn't recommend it, but the bassinet does hold more than 15 pounds.

Thank God!

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

Job 11:18

Brain damage...take 2

Child, "Umm, Mom, the stool broke."

To clarify the type of stool:

Parents, "Were you sitting on it properly?"

"I don't know. I was just sitting on it, and it broke."

Yes, I think our child has brain damage...

Being a brilliant parent that I am, I later pointed out the safety sticker on the bottom of the stool stating:

Proper use: ...Do NOT rock or tilt stool on two legs while seated.

Only to notice the next line: Do NOT let children use stool without adult supervision.

I guess I am at fault, too.

Why is it that kids can't resist rocking on a chair or stool. How many times have we heard, "Don't lean back in the chair!" Maybe it's just me, but growing up, we heard it a lot. Which brings back memories. At one point in time my parents decided to add a room on to the house. I had a particular brother who was notorious for balancing his chair on two legs, and reclining it back to rest on the wall behind him. That wall is the one that would later be knocked out to an open room. Yes, he was in such a habit of sitting back in his chair that he tried to lean it against the wall that no longer existed. He will never live that down, except for the day he was "down" on the floor. ;)

Thanks for the laugh, bro - you know who you are!

Trick Question

Kathryn was going to demonstrate to Michael and Daniel a take down handshake. (Like they need to know how to do this at their tender ages of 8 & 6 sigh) They both wanted to go first, so she did the famous pick a number game:

"Ok, I've got a number behind my back between 1-10."

With only ONE hand behind her back, I wondered how she had a number bigger than 5.

Maybe she was growing fingers back there...

She's not fluent in sign language. (But you can try it if you click on the 1-10 link.)

She covered up with, "Ah, yes, it was a trick question!"

A Slug-ger

There are just some things about boys that make me laugh! Maybe that's why God keeps gifting us with them: to bring humor to our lives. Some of you readers might not find the humor in this little story, but I am still chuckling. Maybe it's because I had to try and bottle the laughter up when it happened...thus no picture. These boys of mine don't need any encouragement!

John came strolling back into the bathroom this evening, after his shower, bare back, announcing, "Mom, can you get the slug off my back?"

I questioned him, "You have a slug on your back?"

"Yes, I can't reach it, Daniel put it there."

John turned around, and I didn't see a slug. It wouldn't surprise me if I did see a slug there. The boys have found slugs in the yard to feed to the fish. It's possible one of them snuck a slug into the house. It's also possible that one of them would think it is cool to see how a slug would crawl on someone else's back.

Daniel came giggling into the bathroom as I was telling John he didn't have a slug on his back. Try as I might, I could not keep a straight face as I looked at Daniel and his "slug".

Do you want to know what was crawling on John's bare back?

A big slimy booger!

aka slug

straight from Daniel's nose

got milk?

I'm sure you've seen the ads. One of the latest is of Batman with the quote, "Others reload, Batman refuels." gotmilk.com tells us, "With all its healthful benefits, milk could be considered a superdrink." Now, my favorite memory of a milk add is from the 80's, "Milk, it does a body good- Pass it on!"

So, where am I going with this milk fetish?

I was feeding Christopher this morning as I sat in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and thought about this superdrink. G.K. Chesterton tells us, "A baby does not find nourishment from sucking his thumb, but from an outside source." And so it is with us!

However hard we try to satisfy ourselves, we still need nourishment from an outside source. What better place can we go to refuel from a superdrink than to Jesus? Jesus: the one who gives us drink when we are thristy (John 4:14), food when we are hungry (John 6:35), healing when we are hurt (Matthew 9:35; Luke 6:19), and the touch of Love when we simply need to be picked up.

Got Love?

Adoration, it does a body good - Pass it on!

I think the dog is cleaning...

But I am cleaning more, ugh.

Maybe I should invest in one of these:

Any thoughts?

If I could keep the door closed to the room, it would be good; but evidently we don't do a very good job of this. Do you think the dog would leave these trash cans alone? I'm beginning to think it is worth a try...

Embraced by God

B- Born a new child of God

A- Anointed with oil

P- Precious Gift: Purified of sin

T- Torch Passed On

I-Imprint of Christ: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy spirit.

S- Saint in training

M- Mentors Matter

Christopher, may you always carry Christ and share Him with everyone you meet!

Parents and Godparents

Teammates on the Journey