Name Consultation for Baby #5

I may have mentioned that we are doing something out of the ordinary (for us, I mean) for Baby #5.  Chris and I still have been going over our own "baby name list" for months, but we decided to do a Catholic baby name consulting session with Kate of SanctaNomina to get some fun, new name ideas as well!

Kate has a full calendar of name consults, so I know it's just random that today is the day she chose to post our name consultation on her blog, but it's the feast of St. Christopher today as well, which I thought was just perfect.  

Lovely art from portraitsofsaints.com

I LOVE her stuff, and want a picture of each of the girls' patron saints from her shop. 

Anyway, just a little random fun fact about names, since we're all about names here today.  Christopher means "Christ-bearer" which I've known for a long time, but it struck me in a whole new way when I began dating Christopher.  This is because at the time, we were in school at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, and I was in the women's household (can be likened to a spiritual sorority) of "Theotokos", which is translated to "Mother of God" or "God-bearer".  It was not lost on me at all that the household I had chosen had a deep devotion to Mary as the "God-bearer", she who BORE CHRIST, and that I was dating a guy whose name meant ultimately the same thing since Jesus is God.  So, on this feast of St. Christopher, I think it's just perfect that we are discussing names for our newest little one.  

In case you haven't already clicked on the links above to the baby name consult, click

 here to find it on Kate's website, Sancta Nomina.

You can comment on her post or on this one with your thoughts and ideas.  We'd love to hear from you about what you think of her fun name ideas or if you have some others that you think we should add to the list.  I love that she added the fun nickname ideas at the end of the post too.  

What are your thoughts?  

I want to hear it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Celebrating the Solemnity of the Annunciation and Luke 1:38

"I am the Lord's servant.  May your word to me be fulfilled."
Luke 1:38

Annunciation- by Caravaggio (found on wikiart.org)

This is the verse that you may have heard referred to as Mary's fiat.  Each time this feast rolls around, and I reflect on the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary, I find myself thanking Mary (again and again) for saying yes to God's will in her life.  Her yes made such a difference.  I often find God's will hard to understand.  Sometimes I just plain don't feel like doing it.  But Mary shows us the way to respond.  It's so simple.  So ordinary.  You just say yes.  And let the Holy Spirit overshadow your life and work through you.

Since this feast often, usually, always? falls during Lent, we hardly ever plan anything other than to take a break from our Lenten fasts and dessert!  Of course, dessert!  And of course, we pray the Annunciation mystery of the Rosary.

original painting by Filippo Lippi and found on wikiart.org

This year, I'm changing that.  We will make it just a little more special.  Because we as a human race should be super excited that Mary said Yes.  Read the old testament.  There are so many people saying no to God all throughout it.  Even people like Adam and Eve, Moses, and David (who were incredibly close to God) said no at times.  Then along comes Mary who says yes, so let's celebrate!!

1.Pregnancy Cravings

I have been pregnant 4 times, and have had an assortment of cravings throughout said pregnancies. Today we celebrate Annunciation, God becoming man.  Mary had the privilege of carrying Jesus inside her for 9 months, so we are going to celebrate pregnancy by having a meal made up of some of foods I craved during my pregnancies.  You could choose some foods from among the Top 20 Pregnancy Food Cravings.  We will be having Greek food since that is what I craved all. the. time. in my last pregnancy.  Additionally we will have coffee ice cream with crushed up oreos mixed into it.  Another craving from last pregnancy.

2. Angel Food Cake

I know people who make Angel Food Cake (this looks like a great recipe) , but we aren't huge cake fans around here, so we'll stick with the ice cream.  But maybe another year, I will because it's just so perfect.  ANGEL food cake?!!

3. Prayers

When I studied in Austria, I used to attend the Noon Mass on weekdays.  Just before they began Mass each day, they prayed the Angelus (see the image below).  After I came back from my semester abroad I fell out of practice saying the Angelus each day at noon, but Kendra from CatholicAllYear.com posted this for the Feast of the Annunciation, and it occurred to me how easy it would be for the girls and I to start praying the Angelus daily.  We have lunch nearly everyday at noon sharp.  So at noon today, we knelt down and prayed the Angelus together.  I can't wait to make this a daily prayer with my girls, and what better day to start than the Solemnity of the Annunciation?

image from CatholicAllYear.com

Additionally, it's pretty awesome to pray at least a decade of the Rosary on this Solemnity of Mary.  Say, the mystery of the Annunciation, perhaps?  :)  I loved reading Kendra's post about praying a family rosary both in the car and at home.  Maybe we'll get brave and say the entire Rosary tonight.   

The Cestello Annunciation by Sandro Botticelli (found on wikiart.org)

I just found out upon doing a little research that the Knights of Columbus celebrate this feast as the "International Day of the Unborn Child" so perhaps it might be nice to pray for the unborn and their mothers and fathers, that they would follow Mary's example and say Yes to the Lord.   

4. Coloring Sheets

I found some nice coloring pages for the feast of the Annunciation here on Pinterest.  I found one here as well, plus this site has all sorts of other coloring pages for other feasts, decades of the Rosary, Stations of the Cross etc.  

image from familyfeastandferia.com

5. Teaching Obedience

Mary's yes was her humble submission to God's will in her life.  So I figured that we'd discuss and try to put into practice some humble obedience to our parents and to Our Heavenly Father around here.  I found a few fun resources on Pinterest to help teach kids obedience.  

Teaching Obedience

"Yes, Mommy!" game

And here are some great reads from CatholicAllYear.com about Obedience and Consistency

Always Mean What You Say

The Virtue of Blind Obedience

God's Word-filled Wednesday: Luke 2:19 and Breath of Heaven song

Advent has just begun and at 38 weeks pregnant, I go back and forth between being completely impatient for baby's arrival and reflecting on what this season of wondrous waiting and joyful anticipation is really about.   And this verse, this simple little verse, keeps resonating in my heart.  

Mary didn't know everything that would happen.  She didn't know how it would all play out.  She simply took it all in.  She opened her heart and just allowed the Spirit to move and guide her and inspire her.  She reflected.  She pondered.  And she waited on the Lord.  

Image found on Pinterest here

It's so tempting at this time of year to just get busy with what we call "preparation for Christmas" (all the presents, the goodies, the decorations, the hype) and I truly think there is beauty to be found in all of that fun and celebration, but the true preparation for Christmas--receiving Christ, our King, has to happen in our hearts.  And I think this verse is exactly how we do it.  

Write this verse on your bathroom mirror or write it on a little note card and place it somewhere you'll see it each day.  Read it, pray it, and while you do all those other preparations, take the time to reflect with Mary on the life of Jesus and on the gift that he is to a broken world.  

Let's prepare our hearts to truly adore Christ the Lord, our newborn King, this year.  

Image found on Pinterest here

This song is one of my favorites, but especially at this time of year.  From what I can tell the writing of this song is somewhat of a collaboration between Chris Eaton and Amy Grant and of course, Amy Grant's recording of it is very popular and well-known.  I love this Point of Grace version as well, and I thought the video with it was really beautiful.  I hope this helps you to travel with Mary this Advent and ponder the life of Christ and his great love for each of us.  

               

Musical Monday: Chris Tomlin - "I Will Follow"

This song always reminds me of my household "Theotokos" (translated God-bearer) at the Franciscan University.  We were a Marian household and were especially devoted to the Passion of Christ and Mary at the foot of the Cross.  

Our household verse was Matthew 16:24-25:

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

Chris Tomlin's "I Will Follow" always makes me think of that verse and reminds me to carry my crosses and help support others in carrying theirs and FOLLOW CHRIST!

                 

Mother's Day craft ideas

I never want to give away what we are creating for Mother's Day because my mom and mother-in-law read the blog, sooooo I will just give you some possible ideas I found on Pinterest for fun crafts/gifts to make for Mom, Grandma, or any other mother figure in your life.

1. Salt Dough Footprint Heart - Pinterest link here

2. You are My Sunshine Footprint Picture -- Pinterest link here

you can do it with hand prints too!

3. Fork Tulips - Pinterest link here

4. Footprint Butterflies - Pinterest link here

5. Spiritual Bouquet (or just make one flower and have a child commit to even one little prayer for Mom or Grandma) -- Pinterest link here and Another one here

                                               

Mother's Day is a day to honor mothers.  Don't forget to honor the mother that Jesus gave to all of us when he was hanging on the cross: His mother, Mary.  And let's remember, as she did, that she was blessed because of her son.  Our children (with God's help and the help of their fathers) make us mothers.  So Moms: be sure to thank your children for giving you the gift of motherhood this Mother's Day.

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed."    -Luke 1:46-48

Consecration to Jesus through Mary: Are you in?

I have been wanting to do the 33 Days to Morning Glory consecration to Jesus through Mary for awhile now

...as you can tell from how long ago I pinned this... but I am finally committing to it and making it happen.  I know for myself it can be difficult to actually do these types of prayer commitments because it's not just a 9 day novena (am I the only person who even has trouble doing those sometimes??) or a short Bible passage.  It's a 33 day commitment to praying and meditating on a very profound truth that St. Louis de Montfort puts this way:

I would love for you to consider joining me on this journey.  If you prefer Saint Louis de Montfort's Total Consecration, perhaps we can discuss encouraging one another on that journey later in the year.  I have done it many times with my household sisters at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and it is incredible and deep.  Both are similar (de Montfort is affiliated with both, after all), but have their own unique aspects as well.  At first I was going to say choose either/or, but in contemplating the depth of each, I thought it would be best to tackle one at a time so that we can encourage one another and focus on one goal.  And since I have never yet done the 33 Days to Morning Glory consecration, I figured I'd start with it.  If this works out, we can move to the other consecration perhaps at the end of 2014.  

33 Days to Morning Glory combines some of the thoughts of 4 great Catholic heroes of mine: St. Louis de Montfort, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Blessed (soon to be Saint!) John Paul II.  I am so excited to begin.  

The idea with these consecrations is to end on a Marian feast day.  

I have already approached one of my sisters-in-law about doing a consecration and suggested twopossible Marian feast end dates near the end of May.  She preferred The Visitation (May 31), so let's go with that. 

This means we will begin on April 28th (which just so happens to be Louis de Montfort's feast day, so that is a nice way to begin a devotion of his).  It is also the day AFTER Divine Mercy Sunday.  

That gives you a little bit less than a month to pick up a copy of the book at your local Catholic bookstore or online find it here on Amazon!  Don't worry; I don't have mine yet either.  I can send out a few reminders about that as well.  Let's commit and set a goal for ourselves to try to purchase and/or order our books by the end of this week to make sure we have them.  

If you would like to support me and allow me to support you in this journey please email me at mamalaurarose@gmail.com or comment with your name and email address.  

The idea is to bring us all together to encourage one another as we read and pray this book individually.  I can't wait to pray with all of you!

Are you in?

And now...your chance to win a copy of the 33 Days to Morning Glory book! Already have a copy?  Win one for a friend or to give as a gift!

Here's what you do:

1.  Like my Roses for Mommy page on Facebook here  1 entry point

2. Invite a friend to join us in this wonderful journey.  Simply leave a comment "introducing" me to your friend ("Laura, this is Jane, my friend who will be joining us in the Consecration..."etc).  When your friend sends me their email address to join our support group I will add your entry.   2 entry points per friend invited

3. Leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite Saint and why.  2 entry points

4. Share this blog post on Facebook to spread the word to others who might be interested in joining us.  1 entry point 

 Giveaway ends on Monday April 7, 2014 (at midnight PST), so that I have plenty of time to mail out the book before the Consecration begins and you have time to order one still if you haven't already. 

Consecration to the Cross Prayer

The following is a prayer that I prayed with my household (a group of women in college who were both my friends and spiritual support ).  We had a special devotion to Our Lady, Theotokos (Greek for Mother of God) and spent a good deal of time in prayer with her at the foot of the Cross.  My household sisters are still a part of my life today, even those I do not know because I know they are praying wherever they are.  This is my favorite "household prayer" that we prayed together when I was at school, and I still continue to pray it (generally as a "morning offering" of sorts) most days.  I am sharing it with you because it is simple, to the point, and reminds us to pick up our crosses daily and carry them with our Lord to Calvary and there let him redeem us!

Consecration Prayer

My Jesus, I consecrate myself this day to your holy cross.  Just as you took upon yourself that great cross for the sake of all humanity, so I vow to embrace the crosses in my life.  Everything I suffer I give back to you, my Sweet Jesus, to atone for my sins and those of all the world.  I will begin and end each day at the foot of the cross, together with our most Blessed Mother and Saint John, our brother.  My only pleasure will be to comfort you my sweet Savior.  Amen.

Marriage Consecration to Our Lady

When Chris and I began dating in college, we consecrated our relationship to Our Lady.  Chris found some inspiration online and in his heart and wrote up a rough copy of a consecration for us to pray together.  Then it was my turn to revise.  I took his template and added a few more personal touches that made our consecration especially personal to US.  I have a devotion to Our Lady, Theotokos (Mother of God), and he has a special devotion to St. Joseph.  We both loved St. Cecilia, patron Saint of music,  which is an important aspect of our relationship and a love we share. And we wanted some of the 10 virtues of Mary to be incorporated and strived for in our relationship.

In case you aren't familiar with the 10 virtues they are:

1. Ardent charity

2. Profound humility

3. Universal mortification

4. Constant mental prayer

5. Blind obedience

6. Divine wisdom

7. Surpassing purity

8. Angelic sweetness

9. Lively faith

10. Heroic patience

Our consecration prayer is about a page and a half typed, so we generally say it together at special times throughout the year.  The two days that we always pray it each year are on our wedding anniversary and on the Feast of Our Lady, Theotokos (January 1st).  I won't share it in it's entirety with all of you because:
1. it's personal to us, and
2. my intent is to encourage you to write your own consecration with your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse and I think it's best if the consecration is personal to you, but...

Here are a couple paragraphs to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. I chose some that are more general; perhaps you would like to use parts and add your own touches to it:

Mother Mary, we deliver and consecrate to you our bodies and souls and this marriage covenant that we have entered into.  We ask that you obtain for us many graces as we embark on this journey with you, and ever keep us close to your Son and guide us along the path He has chosen for us. 

Give us the grace to ardently love each other.  May our primary goal be to serve one another, and thus lead the other closer to Christ; the perfection of love.  Lead us toward our heavenly goal as you bless us with a truer understanding of how we must serve each other.  May our love for each other grow as our love for you and your Son grows in this journey of faith. 

May your maternal eye watch over us and protect us.  You, whose love is like an ocean, engulf us in that love as you draw us ever closer to your motherly heart.  We thank you for the many blessings and graces you have obtained for us through your powerful intercession.  We beg you to hear our prayer and obtain for us, from your divine son, the favors we ask in this consecration.  

At the end, we say a short litany to several Saints whom we have special devotion to in our marriage and relationship and say the Memorare together.  At Catholic Online here you can view several consecrations to Mary as well as other prayers that might help guide you in writing the perfect, personal consecration for you, your relationship, or your family.  One of my favorite PERSONAL consecrations is this one from St. Louis de Montfort's consecration and one of our 2014 goals is to write a consecration to Jesus, through Mary for our little family.  It will likely be only a couple short paragraphs, but we hope to be able to write it, memorize it, and pray it as a family each night after we say grace at dinner.  I will share more about that when we complete it.  

Have a blessed and joyous Solemnity of our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorified Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary!  

Mother of Grace poem

I read the poem below here and it just really spoke to me as a mother especially.  I've always loved Our Lady, but since becoming a mother myself, I just somehow love and admire her even more.  Enjoy!

Mother of Grace

Whom earth, and sea, and sky proclaim 

The Ruler of their triple fame - 

He unto Whom their praises rise 

Within the womb of Mary lies.

O happy Mother that thou art! 

Close underneath thy beating heart 

Lies thy Creator-God Who plann'd 

The world He holds within His hand.

Blest by the herald Angel's tongue, 

O'er thee God's shadowing Spirit hung, 

And fill'd thy womb whence issued forth 

The long-desir'd of all the earth.

O Mary, Mother of all Grace, 

Mother of Mercy to our race, 

Protect us now from Satan's power, 

And own us at life's closing hour.

From the Little Office 

George S. Brady. Mary in Song and in Prayer. 

Virginia: George S. Brady, 1972.

Irish Marian Poetry

It's been awhile since I wrote a post with some poetic pieces in it, so I thought I'd share a few poems I came across online.  You can find them and more at this website .  I am part Irish (we have a little of almost everything, but Irish is probably what we've got most of running through our veins), so the language and style of these poems about Our Blessed Mother really spoke to me especially.  I hope they make your heart happy and your eyes smile today.

Do you have any favorite Irish poems or prayers that you'd like to share?

May Crowning

Traditionally a statue or picture of Mary is honored with a special May crowning ceremony on May 1st to begin a special month long devotion to Our Lady.  May is dedicated to the Blessed Mother and we take special care to honor her and pray for her intercession as Jesus' mother, our Theotokos, and also as the Queen of Heaven and Earth.

We do not have a statue of Mary (yet) for our home, so we used a picture instead and made a crown (see yesterday's post here) to decorate a space near the painting.  We refreshed yesterday's multi-colored roses with some bright pink roses today, and will continue to replace them with fresh new roses throughout the month with assorted roses from our yard.  You could, of course, always just pick up some fake flowers if you don't want to worry about wilting flowers.

Later (when the hubby gets home) we will say a decade of the Rosary, sing some songs about Mary, and the girls will wear their fancy Easter dresses.

We plan to say Rosary by our special Mary picture everyday in May.  The girls and I started off our celebration with a Hail Mary earlier.

If you really want to get some awesome resources for May crowning visit Catholic Icing .  She has written several blog posts on the subject over the years.  We are still working on our traditions and celebration around here.

St. Gianna and St. Louis de Montfort

Just a few little coloring pages to learn more about two great Saints whose feast days are on April 28 - Saint Gianna Beretta Molla and Saint Louis de Montfort.

St. Gianna's story is told very simply so that my children can understand a little more about her and the great love she had for others.

There are some wonderful Saint Gianna quotes.  Read a few on this blog St. Gianna quotes
We had a few of her quotes printed on holy cards for our wedding favors.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this Saint.

St. Louis de Montfort made a Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary that my household (likened to a spiritual sorority) did together.  I highly recommend reading any of his books, but be prepared.  It's deep (and thus, glorious!)

Mystical Rose

I love the title of Mary, Mystical Rose. 

 At this website I found the really lovely old poem which I borrowed for this post

Poem to the Virgin Mary: Mystical Rose with Prayer 

Mystical Rose

THERE is no rose of such virtue 

As is the rose that bear Jesu: 

Alleluia.

For in this rose containéd was 

Heaven and earth in little space: 

Res Miranda.

By that rose we may well see 

There be one God in Persons Three: 

Pares forma.

The angels sang, the shepherds too: 

Gloria in Excelsis Deo: 

Gaudeamus.

Leave we all this worldly mirth 

And follow we this joyful birth: 

Transeamus.

By an unknown Medieval Author

Res Miranda, thing to be marvelled at. Pares forma, equal in nature. Gaudeamus, let us rejoice. Transeamus, let us go hence.

Did I mention I love poetry?  Did I mention I love Jesus' Mom?

I am really thankful that she was such a great Mother.

The Theotokos

As a means of further introducing myself and what I'm about, I thought I should share about my love for Our Lady.  So many people are turned off to her because of the wackadoodles out there who act as though she is some kind of superstitious good luck charm.  Who she really is/was is a tremendously holy woman, filled with grace, whose womb bore Christ, our Savior.  In short, I want to be like her, especially as a mother.  

I have noted that I was part of a 'household' at the Franciscan University of Steubenville known as Theotokos.  In Greek that is Θεοτοκος . I find that I am not always the best at explaining things especially those that come from Greek, so I found this page to help http://orthodoxwiki.org/Theotokos Our household had a particular devotion to Our Lady, Theotokos (God-bearer) .  The oldest known prayer to Mary dates back to the 3rd century and was written in Greek.  You can find it below with the English translation.  I love this prayer for it's simplicity and also for the honor it gives Our Lady.  

Greek Text	English Translation
Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν, καταφεύγομεν, Θεοτόκε. Τὰς ἡμῶν ἱκεσίας, μὴ παρίδῃς ἐν περιστάσει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ κινδύνων λύτρωσαι ἡμᾶς, μόνη Ἁγνή, μόνη εὐλογημένη.	Beneath your compassion, We take refuge, O Mother of God: do not despise our petitions in time of trouble: but rescue us from dangers, only pure, only blessed one.

When I studied abroad, I noted pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary everywhere.  She is not only found in Churches and Cathedrals, but in museums and along city streets.  In Italy, you could find a depiction of her (usually holding the Christ Child, as she was highly revered as the Mother of God throughout history)  in nearly every piazza (the city squares).  I marveled at the many images to be found of her all over Europe.  I love so many varied portrayals of The Blessed Mother, but icons are among my very favorites.  It is my hope to obtain a beautiful icon of the Theotokos to grace our home someday.  Here are some that I love (in addition to the one displayed on my home page and the others in this post)...

       

Something I read (which I LOVE and have since incorporated into my personal prayer life) on that website is addressing Mary by the title, 

Our All-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorified Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Each day that I am a mother, I find myself more and more drawn to Our Lady and invoking her help.  An ancient Church hymn proclaims "He whom the entire universe could not contain was contained within your womb, O Theotokos." .  Wow!  What an amazing gift she possessed.

Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty has this to say about (all) mothers, "She has built something more magnificent than any Cathedral -a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body"  This quote humbles me, and causes me to be even more in awe of Our Lady, because her body housed God in the person of Jesus Christ. 

This week I am beginning a new challenge- that of actually praying my Rosary daily.  The Rosary is such a beautiful prayer focusing on the life of Christ, and I get so easily distracted with being a mother that I don't make the time for it.  Usually I do bits and pieces here and there, but my plan is to 

say the  Fr. Scallon and Dana version on CD or via youtube.