Hey there, Have you ever noticed that UPS trucks almost never make left-hand turns? Their routes are specifically planned to make right-hand turns … even if it means the route is longer. They do this because left-hand turns go against traffic. They add time while you wait for your turn to go. And more accidents happen with left-hand turns. So, 90% of the turns on the UPS route are to the …
Continue Reading about The Little Things That Are Key to Your Great Lent
Hey there, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I pray you’re still experiencing the joy of the Christmas season and have not yet given up your resolutions. Last Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany, when Our Lord entered the world and was revealed to the nations. What an incredible blessing! With that recognition, came different responses … from King Herod’s jealousy… to the …
Hey there, We’re preparing for the coming of Our Lord and the joy of the Christmas season. But soon our attention will turn to the new year. And we’ll enthusiastically start on our new year’s resolutions. Save money … lose weight … exercise more … quit smoking. These are the most popular resolutions. According to U.S. News, 80% of new year’s resolutions fail by the second week of …
Hey There, On the 11th of November we celebrate Veterans Day in the US, while other countries celebrate Armistice Day. And it’s the anniversary of the end of World War I. As we pray and give thanks for those who serve … now and in the past … who sacrifice so much to protect us and keep us safe, it seems appropriate to focus on peace. There is conflict everywhere. Not only between nations, …
Hey there, I’ve been blessed to visit a few sacred sites in my life. As a child my parents took me to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, where Our Blessed Mother appeared to Juan Diego in the year 1531. Unfortunately, I was young enough that I don’t have a lot of clear memories from that trip. A few years ago my daughter and I traveled to Vatican City and we visited St. …
Hey there, Here we are in the middle of Ordinary Time. It started back at the end of May, after Eastertide. And will go until early December when Advent starts. It may seem like there’s not a lot going on liturgically, other than some feast days here or there. But there is something coming up in a couple of weeks. Something that I just learned about a few months ago! Have you ever …
Hey there, We’re obsessed with being more healthy … and exercise is one of our primary means to that end. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone can experience health benefits of physical activity. “Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage …
Hey there, I went on a road trip over the July 4th holiday. On Sunday I found myself in a beautiful Catholic church in a small Texas town. My husband and I were not the only visitors that day. The presiding priest was Reverend Greg Gerhart, Vocations Director at the Diocese of Austin, and 12 of his first year seminarians. Father Gerhart's homily really spoke to me. It was about the Law of …
Hey there, I’ll never forget Thanksgiving Day 2001. I was standing in my entry way with my Mom, waiting for my Dad to leave for the Dallas Cowboys game. My mother was admiring a new piece of furniture I had acquired, a buffet. She added, “Who's going to take my dining room set?” I told her we didn’t need to worry about that for a long time. And quickly changed the subject. We said our …
Continue Reading about Living a Life Prepared For Death (In a Good Way)
Hey there, Palm Sunday is always a popular Mass. Who doesn’t want to get some palms to wave around at Mass and take home? Or to weave into a cross? We celebrate the triumphant arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. We usually focus on Jesus’ experience. Or maybe the crowd of people welcoming him with palms in the air. But there’s another unexpected character in the …
Continue Reading about Reflecting on Palm Sunday of The Passion of The Lord
Hey there, “The first sign of intelligence is the ability to follow directions.” I can’t tell you how many times Sister Mary Brian Bole repeated this over the years at my Catholic high school. I don’t know if she borrowed the phrase from someone else. But it came to be one of her signature statements. Whenever one of us was not doing what we were supposed to do, you’d hear Sister Mary Brian …
Continue Reading about Following God’s Directions: The Ten Commandments
Hey there, When I read about the lives of many of our Saints, I must admit it’s intimidating. The saintly lives they lived, the religious orders they founded, the time spent in isolation and prayer. But not all of our Saints lived their whole life in holiness. Saint Matthew was a tax collector before he left everything behind to follow Jesus Christ. A youthful Saint Augustine was …
