Catholic – Page 40 – hugsnblessings

link. (it’s a good one!)

Published on May 18, 2015May 19, 2015 by Dawn MarieLeave a comment

I’ve had a fascination throughout the years with following Commencement Speeches…and yes, I know it’s not the most exciting thing in the world, but it’s just a silly ol’ thing I enjoy!

So far, (and I’m thinking it will stick,) the one delivered at Loyola University’s recent graduation by Ian Brennan, co-creator of the smash-hit tv series Glee, is my favorite for the Class of 2015.

If you too find yourself to be intrigued with this silly ol’ following, “Whatever you decide to do today you must READ AND LISTEN & THEN READ AND LISTEN (again) to this commencement speech!” (That was me talking…to you!)

You will laugh, tear-up, learn and most definitely be inspired!!

American Magazine wrote a wonderful article on Mr. Brennan’s speech, which was delivered on May 16, 2015, to Loyola’s graduates. A link to the article, including a live video, can be found pasted below. Don’t skip over it! (it’s a good one!)

http://americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/ian-brennan-creator-glee-loyola-chicago-dope-popes-being-creative-and-jesuit

I enjoyed it so much that I would encourage you to STOP whatever you may be doing (at this VERY moment) to be instantly inspired! You won’t be disappointed. Especially if you’re learning The Pope is Dope for the first time! (duh.)

One final personal note to share:

Mr. Brennan references the book “Bird by Bird,” by Anne Lamott in his commencement speech. I have my own dog-earred copy of this book, which is a wonderfully written piece on ‘Some Instruction on Writing and Life.’ Ms. Lamott’s written wisdom continues to stay with me in the webby-cob-webbed parts of my thoughts as I’m writing sometimes! Long ago, when I first started a true commitment to journaling, this book helped to give me the strength I needed most days to use my own “voice,” without doubt or fear of judgement, (of myself.) I appreciated the reminder that I still today continue to draw strength from her wisdom as my voice is shared in my bloggity-say-I blog space!

“If something inside of you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work. Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability. Risk being unliked. Tell the truth as you understand it. As the writer you have a moral obligation to do this.” -Anne Lamott

And should you wish to read this book too, you may borrow my copy!

I promise to send it to you with a big hug n’ blessing!“

“And also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:19

sticks and stones

Published on May 14, 2015August 17, 2015 by Dawn MarieLeave a comment

Impossible is a just a word.

(because it can be done.)

They were told no.

(but anything can be possible

when you put God first.)

HE is bigger than boulders

and stronger than wood.

Sticks and Stones.

(David knows.)

YOU can’t really hurt me.

(because the bible tells me so.)

Music by: Casting Crowns

oh, bother…a star is born!

Published on April 8, 2015May 30, 2018 by Dawn Marie3 Comments

My fluff-stuff this week is a memory-go-round replaying for me. Sweet thoughts spinning around of precious moments spent together in our family of 5. At the time the tale began our children were little and growing into professional ‘pester-ers’ of one another! They were probably each 9, 7 1/2, and 5 1/2 years old at the time, but they easily could have been giving lessons to other aspiring pester-jesters & received quite a performance fee with the skills they would have shared with their peers! (Luckily, their booking-agent came up with a better skill-set for them to potentially share with the world!) Their performances often seemed to begin just about an hour or so before bedtime. If we were lucky the performance bear-ly made it past the first act; however, in growing frequency, they seemed to work the act all the way through to an encore! My cuppy-cake & I quickly became very oh-botherly-bothered! We grew weary ending the night on such a deflated note…so, about that time is when “Our 3 Most Favorite Things” became the new show to arrive in town, (or at least in our home!) Let me set the scene: Gathering the kids together in (one of) their bedrooms for nightly prayer we would first say together the Guardian Angel Prayer:

Angel of God, my guardian dear. To whom God’s love, commits me here. Every day, be at my side. To light, to guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

Immediately following we would then each take a turn to share with one another what Our 3 Most Favorite Things of the Day were. Opening Night was a smash hit! And for many seasons following! Even on the rare nights, if any pester-jestering resurfaced, it only took the mere mention of canceling the show, or escorting said heckler from the room and this deterred any continued/repeat behavior. Our children looked not only forward to sharing their own 3 Most Favorite Things of the Day; but just as much, if not more so, in listening to what each other would share were theirs! Of course the answers were rarely ever “grand,” but they were amazing! (If only to us.) Like: “Wearing my Steeler shirt to school today.” Or, “Trading my apple for a cupcake at lunch.” Or, “Letting the lizard out of it’s cage at pre-school. Maybe tomorrow we will find him!” (Silly, ol’ Jare-Bear.) The memory-go-round for all of this began when I saw a blogging event posted by fellow blogger Nerd in the Brain. A fun blog, I instantly loved her blog event which she created titled: All of this has been like a re-run-re-union. Like the Brady Bunch reunion episode, or Gilligan leaves the Island. Thursdays henceforth, (at least this one,) shall be for-me a time to re-examine all God has given me to be grateful for. I’m quite sure I can think together 3 blessings to give praise for…even in this head of fluff and stuff!

Photo courtesy of Winnie the Pooh Friendship Gallery

3hugs&blessings i give today for:

my friend Tina (who is not a llama,) air-popped popcorn shared with my cuppy-cake, & the potential new baby grand-daughter we may welcome into our family this summer!