Does anyone else detest Thursday?? I hear people who work an office job Monday - Friday talk about how bad Monday is but Monday doesn't get to me. Thursday gets to me. I think Thursday might be a bully.
It is like he stands there almost close to the weekend but still requiring work taunting me that I must get through Thursday before any fun begins. It is also by Thursday that any amount of rest and relaxing that I accomplished over the weekend is completely worn off.
Thursday around here is trash day. We collect all the household trash, bag it up, and put it in our really big trash can and take it to the curb. At first, it was a fun little mini date night with Leron after we would put the girls to bed. We would have a good conversation walking up and down our driveway and we would even hold hands and look at the stars on clear Thursday nights.
I have changed into my pajamas by 7:30 the last 4 Thursdays. I guess the magic of mini date night is hibernating until better weather comes around??
How do you cope with your day of the week that is a bully? The challenge for today is offer your bully day up. Yeah, I not that excited about it either, but I am going to try :)
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Forgiveness
Last night, Leron and I had the opportunity to attend a deanery mass presided over by His Excellency the Archbishop of Indianapolis, Joseph Tobin. It was a beautiful mass with wonderful music and a homily I won't soon forget.
For anyone who follows the daily readings, last night's gospel was from Matthew and it was on how to pray. It detailed the words to the Our Father. It also speaks to forgiveness. More than just the words in the prayer, forgive us our trespasses, it explains that as you forgive others so you will be forgiven.
What a huge responsibility! In order for me to be forgiven, I must forgive anyone and everyone of anything and everything. That is a hard pill to swallow. And speaking of pills, Tobin spoke of the anger and resentment that builds from a lack of forgiveness as a poison. He explained that we often take this poison ourselves hoping it will kill the one who wronged us when in actuality it slowly kills us instead.
I really wish you could have been there because he did an infinitely better job than I could ever hope of addressing this topic with understanding and compassion fully aware of how as humans we like to hold onto resentment and have a hard time letting go.
In the end, he summed it up as this:
Be Holy, holiness is acting in the ways of The One who is eternally Holy
Forgive, forgive everyone of everything
Be Free
Today, I challenge you to forgive. Forgive as much and as many as you can and when you hit a roadblock on an issue or a person, pray until it crumbles.
Be Holy, Forgive and Be Free... who could ask for more?
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
For anyone who follows the daily readings, last night's gospel was from Matthew and it was on how to pray. It detailed the words to the Our Father. It also speaks to forgiveness. More than just the words in the prayer, forgive us our trespasses, it explains that as you forgive others so you will be forgiven.
What a huge responsibility! In order for me to be forgiven, I must forgive anyone and everyone of anything and everything. That is a hard pill to swallow. And speaking of pills, Tobin spoke of the anger and resentment that builds from a lack of forgiveness as a poison. He explained that we often take this poison ourselves hoping it will kill the one who wronged us when in actuality it slowly kills us instead.
I really wish you could have been there because he did an infinitely better job than I could ever hope of addressing this topic with understanding and compassion fully aware of how as humans we like to hold onto resentment and have a hard time letting go.
In the end, he summed it up as this:
Be Holy, holiness is acting in the ways of The One who is eternally Holy
Forgive, forgive everyone of everything
Be Free
Today, I challenge you to forgive. Forgive as much and as many as you can and when you hit a roadblock on an issue or a person, pray until it crumbles.
Be Holy, Forgive and Be Free... who could ask for more?
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Lessons from Dinner
We are pretty lucky when it comes to food at my house. I enjoy meal planning and grocery shopping. I enjoy spending time in the kitchen perfecting different dishes. I am not a gourmet cook by any stretch but I can fix up meals that my family loves and because they love to eat them and I like to cook them, I cook a lot. I would say we eat out less than once per month.
I think there is so much to be said for family dinners. Some of my favorite memories and conversations happened around the dinner table growing up and I hope that our girls have a chance to develop some great memories of their own.
My kids are adorable, cute, smart and hilarious. In case you think I might be biased (I'm sure I am by the way), they are also ornery, talkative, headache causing little cuties who I wish came with an off button or batteries that I could remove. Dinner time with a 2.5 and 1.5 year old is not really my favorite time of the day. It is usually a fight to get them to eat dinner and sit still. Their "favorite" foods seem to only be their favorites once and the next time I make it they turn up their nose at it. It is a constant struggle.
Last night was really no different from any other night, but I noticed a few things about Nalley that I just had to share.
Nalley is our prayer leader at meal times and bed time. We said grace 4 times last night. At first I thought she was just really thankful and had finally figured out grace is basically saying thank you to God. Then before grace #3, she said her food was too hot, we needed to say grace. By the 4th time, when she insisted Felicity's food was too hot and we needed to say grace, I finally figured it out. She thought, and probably still thinks because I couldn't teach her through my laughter, that we said grace to allow our food time to cool down.
So lesson #1 from dinner with Nalley: Pray until things cool off
Nalley is also a bit of a neat freak. She can't stand to be dirty. She loves to clean and wipe things off. It is helpful until she leaves a puddle of cleaning solution. Recently, she has been obsessed with napkins. She gets the smallest amount of food on her hands or cheek and she asks for a napkin until we give her one. I am pretty sure most kids wouldn't notice or would just lick their fingers but not my sweet little Nalley. She can go through 4-5 napkins a meal if undeterred.
Lesson #2 from dinner with Nalley: If it is dirty, clean it! Translation, if you are dirty/sinful, get clean/go to confession
And finally, Nalley is teeny tiny. She doesn't weigh much more than 20 pounds at 2.5 years old. I worry that she is growing enough, eating enough etc. So I have been trying really hard to get her to eat more at meal times. This has required a lot of incentives to be offered. She loves fruit so we save that until the end. If she eats the amount we set, usually 3 bites, she gets some fruit. If she cleans her entire plate, she gets as much fruit as she wants.
Lesson #3 from dinner with Nalley: Do what you are told, get a sweet treat at the end
So I learned 3 things from having dinner with my daughter last night. It will be a miracle if I can find a helpful life lesson from Felicity throwing her unwanted food off her highchair tray and onto the floor!
What have you learned from your kids at dinner?
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
I think there is so much to be said for family dinners. Some of my favorite memories and conversations happened around the dinner table growing up and I hope that our girls have a chance to develop some great memories of their own.
My kids are adorable, cute, smart and hilarious. In case you think I might be biased (I'm sure I am by the way), they are also ornery, talkative, headache causing little cuties who I wish came with an off button or batteries that I could remove. Dinner time with a 2.5 and 1.5 year old is not really my favorite time of the day. It is usually a fight to get them to eat dinner and sit still. Their "favorite" foods seem to only be their favorites once and the next time I make it they turn up their nose at it. It is a constant struggle.
Last night was really no different from any other night, but I noticed a few things about Nalley that I just had to share.
Nalley is our prayer leader at meal times and bed time. We said grace 4 times last night. At first I thought she was just really thankful and had finally figured out grace is basically saying thank you to God. Then before grace #3, she said her food was too hot, we needed to say grace. By the 4th time, when she insisted Felicity's food was too hot and we needed to say grace, I finally figured it out. She thought, and probably still thinks because I couldn't teach her through my laughter, that we said grace to allow our food time to cool down.
So lesson #1 from dinner with Nalley: Pray until things cool off
Nalley is also a bit of a neat freak. She can't stand to be dirty. She loves to clean and wipe things off. It is helpful until she leaves a puddle of cleaning solution. Recently, she has been obsessed with napkins. She gets the smallest amount of food on her hands or cheek and she asks for a napkin until we give her one. I am pretty sure most kids wouldn't notice or would just lick their fingers but not my sweet little Nalley. She can go through 4-5 napkins a meal if undeterred.
Lesson #2 from dinner with Nalley: If it is dirty, clean it! Translation, if you are dirty/sinful, get clean/go to confession
And finally, Nalley is teeny tiny. She doesn't weigh much more than 20 pounds at 2.5 years old. I worry that she is growing enough, eating enough etc. So I have been trying really hard to get her to eat more at meal times. This has required a lot of incentives to be offered. She loves fruit so we save that until the end. If she eats the amount we set, usually 3 bites, she gets some fruit. If she cleans her entire plate, she gets as much fruit as she wants.
Lesson #3 from dinner with Nalley: Do what you are told, get a sweet treat at the end
So I learned 3 things from having dinner with my daughter last night. It will be a miracle if I can find a helpful life lesson from Felicity throwing her unwanted food off her highchair tray and onto the floor!
What have you learned from your kids at dinner?
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
Sunday, February 17, 2013
New Christians
One of the most exciting things I have been involved in over the last 2 years is RCIA at Saint Louis Church in Batesville. For those unfamiliar with the abbreviation, RCIA is the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. The exact structure varies from church to church but the end result is new Christians brought into the church at Easter Vigil.
As a parent, it is always exciting, and a little nerve wracking, to have your child baptized. It is a huge responsibility that you take upon yourself to bring your child up in the faith, to introduce them to Jesus and His teachings and set straight their path. Choosing to discover faith (or a different faith than the one you were brought up in) as an adult is a whole different ballgame.
I said choosing but really faith is not a choice but a gift and often times it is a gift that is revealed at different times in our lives. Some are blessed with an abundance of faith right from the start. Others it seems live most of their life without an outward sign of faith. It is not up to us to judge someone based on the amount of their faith gift, but to encourage and support them where they are. We want to bring more people to Jesus, not discourage them.
With RCIA, I have had an incredible opportunity to share and deepen my faith. Just like with children, you think you are teaching them until one day you turn around and realize they had been teaching you all those years, RCIA has taught me more than I am sure I have passed along. As children we had Sunday School or CCD as we Catholics call it. But as adults we must be much more intentional about our faith education.
Today is a two part challenge.
First, I challenge you to pursue ways you can get involved, study and deepen your faith. This could be more prayer time, visiting Jesus in the adoration chapel, an organized bible study or a mom's group. There are infinite possibilities. Sometimes we do a bad job of asking what is available if it is not right in front of us in the bulletin or in the announcements at church. So this challenge might require just a little leg work from you or maybe just a phone call.
Here's a free hint to make it a little easier, many churches do missions during Lent. This is an easy and great way to meet some new people and deepen your faith without a huge time commitment. Saint Louis is hosting a mission next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. If you want more details, I would be happy to provide them.
Second part of the challenge, welcome someone into the church. This could be that new person you see attending your church service or someone joining the church at Easter. It could even be your neighbor who you have never discussed religion with before. We get all too comfortable with our routine and sometimes forget to look beyond ourselves.
We sit in the same pew every week, talk to the same people before and after church and shake the pastor's hand afterwards. We even get upset when someone "new" doesn't realize that is "our" pew and instead of introducing ourselves or just striking up a conversation we (grumbling) find a new pew.
So step outside of your Christianity bubble and do something new with your faith today!
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
As a parent, it is always exciting, and a little nerve wracking, to have your child baptized. It is a huge responsibility that you take upon yourself to bring your child up in the faith, to introduce them to Jesus and His teachings and set straight their path. Choosing to discover faith (or a different faith than the one you were brought up in) as an adult is a whole different ballgame.
I said choosing but really faith is not a choice but a gift and often times it is a gift that is revealed at different times in our lives. Some are blessed with an abundance of faith right from the start. Others it seems live most of their life without an outward sign of faith. It is not up to us to judge someone based on the amount of their faith gift, but to encourage and support them where they are. We want to bring more people to Jesus, not discourage them.
With RCIA, I have had an incredible opportunity to share and deepen my faith. Just like with children, you think you are teaching them until one day you turn around and realize they had been teaching you all those years, RCIA has taught me more than I am sure I have passed along. As children we had Sunday School or CCD as we Catholics call it. But as adults we must be much more intentional about our faith education.
Today is a two part challenge.
First, I challenge you to pursue ways you can get involved, study and deepen your faith. This could be more prayer time, visiting Jesus in the adoration chapel, an organized bible study or a mom's group. There are infinite possibilities. Sometimes we do a bad job of asking what is available if it is not right in front of us in the bulletin or in the announcements at church. So this challenge might require just a little leg work from you or maybe just a phone call.
Here's a free hint to make it a little easier, many churches do missions during Lent. This is an easy and great way to meet some new people and deepen your faith without a huge time commitment. Saint Louis is hosting a mission next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. If you want more details, I would be happy to provide them.
Second part of the challenge, welcome someone into the church. This could be that new person you see attending your church service or someone joining the church at Easter. It could even be your neighbor who you have never discussed religion with before. We get all too comfortable with our routine and sometimes forget to look beyond ourselves.
We sit in the same pew every week, talk to the same people before and after church and shake the pastor's hand afterwards. We even get upset when someone "new" doesn't realize that is "our" pew and instead of introducing ourselves or just striking up a conversation we (grumbling) find a new pew.
So step outside of your Christianity bubble and do something new with your faith today!
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
Friday, February 15, 2013
Fasting, Abstinence and Almsgiving
There are three things we are called to do during Lent. They are fast, abstain and give alms.
Since it is the first Friday of Lent, I thought I would just
touch upon abstaining today.
Abstinence is refraining from eating meat. In lent we are called to abstain on Friday as
well as Good Friday and Ash Wednesday.
This abstinence is a small sacrifice on our part to remind
us of the huge sacrifice Jesus made on a Friday. He gave us his life.
Growing up, I never really thought not eating meat on Friday
was all that difficult. I usually ate
cold cereal and milk for breakfast before school so no changes there. My school always offered cheese pizza or
fried fish for lunch and there was always the salad bar. For dinner, my mom was awesome and had that
covered.
Now that I am in charge of the menu and we prefer a hot
breakfast with meat and my kids aren’t in school and my husband eats lunch at
home most days, no meat on Friday requires a little more work from me and I am
finding it much more difficult than I once did.
It now means I have to plan a little, make a menu, go grocery shopping
and be very active about my participation in abstaining.
So today I challenge you to take an active role in whatever
you have dedicated yourself to for Lent.
Make a meatless dinner if you are used to going to the local fish fry or
pack your kids lunches if you are used to letting them eat at school. Your participation will make this Lent that
much more meaningful to you and will deepen your relationship with Christ. After all, one day of sacrificing meat is
nothing compared to sacrificing your entire life on a cross.
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
God is water
So yesterday, I revealed that we are dirty and then explained why that's not such a bad thing. Today, I am going to give one more reason why being dirty isn't such a bad thing, and it is a HUGE reason.
God is water!
Think of water. Water is clear, cool, refreshing. Water can clean us. Water is essential to life.
Now think of your 5 senses
You can feel water on your skin. Think of how wonderful a dip in the pool is on a hot summer day or a nice hot shower at the end of a long day of work.
You can taste water. Nothing can truly compare to the refreshment you feel when you get a nice glass of ice water.
You can smell water. That wonderful after rain scent is the smell of renewal.
You can see water. That image of a tropical waterfall or olympic size swimming pool or that image of the glass of water or rain, these are all beautiful images of water.
You can hear water. The soothing pitter patter of raindrops or the steady flow of a stream is a relaxing sound.
Just like you can feel, taste, smell, see and hear water, you can feel, taste, smell, see and hear God.
Sometimes these instances are as simple as a cool drink of water on a hot day.
Today, I challenge you to look around and see the water in your life, all of those things you cannot live without. Then, see God in them and thank Him for them.
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
God is water!
Think of water. Water is clear, cool, refreshing. Water can clean us. Water is essential to life.
Now think of your 5 senses
You can feel water on your skin. Think of how wonderful a dip in the pool is on a hot summer day or a nice hot shower at the end of a long day of work.
You can taste water. Nothing can truly compare to the refreshment you feel when you get a nice glass of ice water.
You can smell water. That wonderful after rain scent is the smell of renewal.
You can see water. That image of a tropical waterfall or olympic size swimming pool or that image of the glass of water or rain, these are all beautiful images of water.
You can hear water. The soothing pitter patter of raindrops or the steady flow of a stream is a relaxing sound.
Just like you can feel, taste, smell, see and hear water, you can feel, taste, smell, see and hear God.
Sometimes these instances are as simple as a cool drink of water on a hot day.
Today, I challenge you to look around and see the water in your life, all of those things you cannot live without. Then, see God in them and thank Him for them.
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
We are Dirty!
So I started this blog with Lent last year as a daily devotional and chance to grow. It has been a long time since I did regular blog entries, but I am going to include it in my Lenten journey once again. I am hopeful that these posts will be short, sweet and to the point.
I know many of you enjoyed reading the stories, thoughts, devotions from last year. If there is any particular subject you want me to cover, you can post it in the comments, let me know on facebook or send me an email.
Ash Wednesday - February 13, 2013
We are Dirty! Ashe Wednesday always reminds me that I am dust and unto dust I shall return. What is dust if not dirt?? So essentially, I (and you) am dirt, I am dirty. I don't know about you, but dwelling too long on that unfortunate little bit of humanity, can take you down to a not so fun place.
So how can we look at our dirtiness and see something great?
Here are my suggestions:
- We are dirt, but so is every other human being ever created (dirt loves company??)
- Dirt isn't all bad, it is necessary for growing things
- Dirt goes by the much more pleasant term soil once it is enriched
- Even though we are merely dirt, God created us in His image
- God even liked us dirt so much, that He sent His son to dwell among us, just like us, as dirt
- God even sacrificed His son for us
Suddenly being dirt doesn't sound so bad does it??
Today, celebrate the fact that you are dirt! Because even though you are dirt, you are given more love than you could ever earn and you are expected to do great things!
Here is last year's Ash Wednesday Post
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
I know many of you enjoyed reading the stories, thoughts, devotions from last year. If there is any particular subject you want me to cover, you can post it in the comments, let me know on facebook or send me an email.
Ash Wednesday - February 13, 2013
We are Dirty! Ashe Wednesday always reminds me that I am dust and unto dust I shall return. What is dust if not dirt?? So essentially, I (and you) am dirt, I am dirty. I don't know about you, but dwelling too long on that unfortunate little bit of humanity, can take you down to a not so fun place.
So how can we look at our dirtiness and see something great?
Here are my suggestions:
- We are dirt, but so is every other human being ever created (dirt loves company??)
- Dirt isn't all bad, it is necessary for growing things
- Dirt goes by the much more pleasant term soil once it is enriched
- Even though we are merely dirt, God created us in His image
- God even liked us dirt so much, that He sent His son to dwell among us, just like us, as dirt
- God even sacrificed His son for us
Suddenly being dirt doesn't sound so bad does it??
Today, celebrate the fact that you are dirt! Because even though you are dirt, you are given more love than you could ever earn and you are expected to do great things!
Here is last year's Ash Wednesday Post
God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife
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