Seven Quick Takes

1. This past week was a busy one. With my husband at home for the week due to spring break, I decided to transform the spare bedroom into another home office. His office is downstairs and mine in now upstairs. We previously shared an office, but it's nice to have my own little space. Actually, I now share it with my cat, Jazzy, who now has new furniture in her cat room.

2. On the Solemnity of St. Joseph, or St. Joseph's Day, we celebrated the feast with strawberry cheesecake -- Bill's favorite dessert. This is a special day for fathers, and for all who have a special devotion to St. Joseph. He has been such a good protector for our family. He's also Bill's Confirmation saint. We finished the nine day novena to St. Joseph, but continue to pray our daily prayer to him for ongoing intentions.


3. With both St. Patrick's day and St. Joseph's day this week, this week didn't seem to have that Lenten feel. This week I was encouraged to persevere in my Lenten resolutions by the Holy Father's prayer:  "May the Lord give us all light and courage: light to know what’s happening within us, and courage to convert, to draw closer to the Lord. It is beautiful to be close to the Lord.” Lent is a time to radiate that inner beauty to others.


4.  The first day of spring was beautiful! It was in the lower 70's, sunny, and ideal for a walk, so we took one after Mass. The crocuses are in bloom and the tulips and the hyacinths we planted last fall are coming up. We watched a mother squirrel build a nest in our mulberry tree, painstakingly gathering and weaving the ends of the branches together for her babies on the way.

5. Yesterday's saint of the day was St. Maria Josefa of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whose mission was to be a “neighbor” to the sick and the suffering in the world. She tells us: "Do not believe that caring for the sick consists only in giving them medicine and food; there is another kind of care which you should never forget, that of the heart which seeks to adapt to the suffering person, going to meet his needs.”

6. Today we remember Saint Benedetta Cambiagio Frasinello.  She was a wife, religious and foundress, who founded a school for the formation of young women and also a religious congregation, and did both with the generous collaboration of her husband.

7. If you missed this story, it is an inspirational read and quite entertaining, as well. This nun is singing her heart out for the Lord and evangelizing, too.

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