A Mother’s love has no expiration date!

I love my mother.

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Both of them!

The one God entrusted me to…

here on earth.

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My mother is the most supportive person in the world.  (She’s magical!)

And the One who…

waits for me in Heaven.

(Our Virgin Mother, Mary.)

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When life gets hard and you feel all alone, remember you mean the world to someone.  And that someone is called Mother.

One of the reasons I love them, and count myself blessed to have them, is the constant support, guidance, and protection they have offered me throughout my life.

They have both been there to celebrate in my greatest joys!

But more importantly… to assist me in carrying my heaviest trials.

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Photo courtesy of Pinterest

And in a culture that promotes “My Mom is Cooler than your mom,” or “My Mom is hotter than your mom,” I am grateful that my mother(s)’ example to me was not built on appearance or popularity but instead…

on prayer.

(Because nothing is more cool or beautiful than to see your Mother pray!)

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It is the greatest example I have ever been given!

And it is the one strength I have run to the most in my own vocation of Motherhood. (For the power of a mother’s prayers cannot be easily defeated.)_MG_8910

No matter how old I may be it will be their voice I will hear consoling me.

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So it was that several days ago I sought my Heavenly Mother’s voice as I entered into a Novena with her.  Each day she has reminded me of the beautiful gift, both have given me, in their love which holds no expiration.

Perhaps you too need the voice of your mother today!

Won’t you join me in prayer to find her there?

Unfailing Novena To The Virgin Mary Untier of Knots

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How this devotion started?

To show us the mission granted to the Virgin Mary by Her Son, an artist Johann Melchior Georg Schmittdner painted Mary Undoer of Knots with great grace. Since 1700, His painting has been venerated in the Church of St. Peter in Perlack, Augsburg, Germany. It was originally inspired by a meditation of Saint Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyon and martyred in 202) based on the parallel made by Saint Paul between Adam and Christ. Saint Irenaeus, in turn, made a comparison between Eve and Mary, saying:“Eve, by her disobedience, tied the knot of disgrace for the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, undid it”.

But what are these knots?
There are the problems and struggles we face for which we do not see any solution … knots of discord in your family, lack of understanding between parents and children, disrespect, violence, the knots of deep hurts between husband and wife, the absence of peace and joy at home. There are also the knots of anguish and despair of separated couples, the dissolution of the family, the knots of a drug addict son or daughter, sick or separated from home or God, knots of alcoholism, the practice of abortion, depression, unemployment, fear, solitude…Ah, the knots of our life! How they suffocate the soul, beat us down and betray the heart’s joy and separate us from God.

Day after day, more and more Christians kneel to pray to Her as soon as they meet the Mother of the Fair Love. Many families have become reconciled! Many diseases have been healed! Many spouses have returned to the Church! Many jobs have been given! Many conversions have taken place! Many have been on their knees praying and giving thanks for graces received from our sweet Mother. For that reason, Mary Who undoes the knots, Who was chosen by God to crush the evil with Her feet, comes to us to reveal Herself. She comes to provide jobs, good health, to reconcile families, because She wants to undo the knots of sin which dominate our lives, so that – as children of the King – we can receive the promises reserved for us from eternity. She comes with promises of victory, peace, blessings and reconciliation.

Then, free from our knots – filled with happiness, we can be a testimony of the Divine Power in this world, like pieces of God’s heart or small bottles of perfume exhaling mercy and love to our neighbor. Like ambassador of Jesus Christ and the Virgin of the fair love, we can rescue those who cry without any consolation, those who are lonely, tied with knots, who have no God, no Father nor Mother.

Mother of the Rising Sun, Immaculate, our Advocate, Helper in moments of affliction, Mother of God and made by Him our Mother, this is how Mary, Undoer of Knots is presented. Above all, She comes as the Queen of Mercy, the one who knows all about us, who has compassion for us and hurries to rescue us, praying for each one of us to Her beloved Jesus.

(source: http://www.maryundoerofknots.com/history.htm)

For more information on this beautiful devotion:
http://www.desatadora.com.ar/titulo-i.htm
http://www.mariequidefaitlesnoeuds.com/GB/index

The Novena has the Cardinal ecclesiastical approval, receiving the “NIHIL OBSTAT and IMPRIMATUR
Imprimatur Paris Archdiocese

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Photo Courtesy of Kristyn Brown Photography!  Be sure to check out her stunning photos, especially The Saints Project.

hugs n’ blessings for every knot undone!

(As there can be no limit when untied through the love of a Mother.)

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Super-Paw-Star!

Can you believe it?!

Helen Kowalska’s in a magazine!!

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She’s a Super-Paw-Star!

But I really meant this Helen Kowalska!

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St. Maria Faustina Kowalska

Helen, (the best golden-retreiver in the Universe) & I were just fortunate enough to be included in our Diocesean Faith Magazine along with her!!!

Faith Magazine of the Erie Catholic Diocese, the largest family publication in Northwest Pennsylvania, contacted us for an interview…and today the April edition was released with Helen & I in it!

FAITH Magazine was introduced in January 2005 by then-Bishop Donald Trautman. Today, Bishop Lawrence Persico serves as publisher of the award-winning magazine. All 62,000 Catholic households registered in parishes throughout the diocese receive the magazine, free of charge, every other month as part of a major restructuring of evangelization and communications strategies. Bishop Persico and the local parishes are committed to reaching out to every Catholic home with FAITH Magazine because they want to remind us that we belong to something — our local parish; and we belong to someone — Jesus Christ.

Why did the Diocese of Erie commit to FAITH Magazine?

Many Catholics attend Mass weekly and are active participants in their parishes. At the same time, a growing number of busy families and individuals find themselves participating in the life of the church less and less. Still others may have had a negative experience, become lukewarm or fallen away altogether. FAITH Magazine was created to reach out to all Catholics with stories of inspiration. The magazine is also designed as a formation tool, providing answers to common questions as well as a glimpse of international, national and local news.

The Diocese of Erie was the third diocese to affiliate with FAITH Magazine first published in the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan in 2000. Today that number has grown to more than two dozen dioceses and institutions! You will find that the major feature stories, as well as local news stories, are based in the Diocese of Erie. FAITH Magazine is part of the diocese’s answer to Pope John Paul II’s call for a “new evangelization.” The magazine is designed to touch the hearts of people both within and outside of the faith.

(*information taken from the Faith Magazine web-site.)

I have never been shy regarding my devotion to the Divine Mercy.  And I truly enjoy cyber-journaling about my personal experience of growing closer to God as a result of this devotion.  I usually dedicate any journaling I do on Wednsedays to this topic, which you can easily find under the Divine Mercy heading of my toolbar. However, I was completely surprised & humbled when asked to participate in a publication sharing tangible ways to explore mercy more fully.

When Anne-Marie Welsh, editor of the magazine, interviewed me for the article I had not anticipated just how much JOY would leap out from inside of me, as we spoke of St. Faustina!  I felt like a giddy-school-girl introducing her new BFF from summer camp to the friends I already knew well!  Jesus said to St. Faustina: “Let no sinner be afraid to approach Me.”  And by the grace of God, THAT IS NOW ME!!! 

In Faustina’s “Diary,” Jesus invites each one of us to yield to His infinite mercy, to trust in His compassion and forgiveness. Great graces are promised to all those who proclaim His great mercy.  And so it is, that I am resting in the peace which comes from trusting His unwavering love for me as I strive to know, to love, and to serve Him, despite my human inclination of falling into sin.

“I shall protect them Myself at the hour of death, as My own glory. And even if the sins of the soul are as dark as night, when the sinner turns to My mercy, he renders Me the greatest praise, and becomes the glory of My Passion. When a soul praises My goodness, Satan trembles before it and flees to the very bottom of hell” (Diary, 378).

One of the many things I have discovered, through reading the Diary of St. Faustina, is that the simple message of mercy is this:

That God loves us, all of us, no matter how great our sins!

He wants us to turn to Him so that He may bless us,

He wants us to recognize His mercy, and allow it to flow through us to others.

(As St. Faustina did.)

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In this way, all will come to share in His joy!

God wants us to approach Him.

We need only repent of our sins and ask for His Mercy.

Are you ready to completely Trust?

God wants us to know the graces of His mercy,

which are merely dependent upon our trust in Him.

Jesus, I trust in you!

Will you?

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Divine Mercy Sunday, St. Joseph/BOL Erie, Pa

You never know…you may be in a publication with Helen one day too!!

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Auto-Paw-Graphs given on request!

hugs n’ blessings to all those who are trusting in Him!

lighting the candles of their souls

(Her laughter lit-up an entire World!)

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Photo Courtesy Pinterest

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Father, creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you.  May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honor, and our voices celebrate you for ever.

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Photo of Pinterest

 

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

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Mother Angelica, A Remarkable Life, 1923-2016

hugs n’ blessings for a legacy of light shown upon The Eternal Word.

(I will miss her tender giggles.)

“You see, God expects His people to do the ridiculous so He can do the miraculous.”  Mother Angelica