Of Sound Mind and Spirit

Last week I joined my work colleagues to say farewell to a long-time employee who is retiring and moving away. During the reception I noticed the similarities to Nick's funeral. I’m standing in a receiving line, where hugs are offered, while a picture slide show runs in the background, and flowers adorn the side tables. As I sit on the side of the room listening to colleagues offer tearful, heartfelt messages, I grow uneasy, a rising panic. It catches me off guard and I feel like shouting, "She isn’t dead. She’s only moving to Austin. You can talk to her. You can visit her.” It's not the same. I understand how they will miss her closeness and camaraderie, because she will no longer be a major part of their daily lives. It's so wonderful that they made this opportunity to tell their friend how much they value her to her face . To acknowledge her impact on their lives in the witness of her family, co-workers, and colleagues. We all need to take more time in our live

World-renowned author Matthew Kelly has been showing adults for years how to become the Best Version of Yourself in his more than a dozen books.   Now he spreads his passionate message to children in his first ever Children’s book. Why am I Here? A story about becoming the-best-version-of-yourself! answers this age old question from a child’s point of view.  It is a loving story of a little boy named Max that infuses humor with adorable illustrations to convey this life-affirming story.  The book starts with Max asking his grandpa, “Why am I here…in this world?”   The grandpa replies with a question for Max, “What are Birds good at being?”  Through some cute discussion and illustration, the answer is revealed to be - a bird “just enjoys being the best bird it can be.” From that answer, Mr. Kelly uses the relationship between Max and his grandfather to lay out many easy to understand examples of how Max can choose to be the best version of himself.  Max shares his new know

You’ve seen the headlines: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder condemns Arizona Immigration Bill, but later admits he has not read it. Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano states she wouldn’t have signed the Arizona Immigration Law when she was the Arizona Governor, and then also admits she has not reviewed the law in detail.  The Obama Administration supports Assistant Secretary of State, P. J. Crowley, who defends another Assistant Secretary of State’s condemnation of the Arizona law before Chinese officials.  Crowley admits on FoxNews that he hasn’t read the AZ S.B. 1070 either.  Byron York of the Washington Examiner condemned journalists and others in the main stream media who are misreporting the new law without obviously reading it first. Even our own President immediately condemned the law without reading it. Have you taken the time to read the new Arizona Immigration Law for yourself ?  I took about 5 minutes and did just that this morning.  Unlike bills fr

Saturday morning the phone rang at 5:30 a.m. Phones that ring so early in the morning never bring good news. Half-asleep, my first thoughts went to my two elderly grandmothers – each suffering their own challenges. But as my husband handed me the phone he said, “It’s Rebecca,” and my heart stopped. Her 17 year old son was dead. I lay in bed, barely breathing, as she told me what she had to, saying words none of us are ever prepared to say or hear when talking about our children. An hour later, I hung up the wet telephone receiver, turned to my husband, and completely lost it. I spent that first day in a stunned stupor, making additional necessary phone calls telling people the basic information I knew, answering most other questions with “I don’t know.” By Saturday evening, another friend who lived closer, headed into Ohio to help. I felt so conflicted – torn – between leaving immediately and staying at home with my daughters and their activities. I chose to wait; to fly up for the fun

Many know Lisa Hendey as the editor and founder of the popular CatholicMom.com website , a Catholic speaker, host of the popular Catholic Moments podcast , and a writer with Faith and Family Live .  Now, she can add “successful book author” to her list of credits.  The beautifully written “The Handbook for Catholic Moms, Nurturing your Heart, Mind, Body and Soul” –focuses on mothering topics unique to Catholics as well as the issues faced irrespective of faith.  The Handbook offers many practical, helpful suggestions, infused with personal stories and quotes from some of our favorite Popes and Saints.  By beginning every chapter with one of Lisa’s own personal stories related to the chapter, Lisa hooks the reader.   I found each story captivating and reassuring, filled with emotion that reminds each of us that we are facing the same issues together.  Weaved throughout the personal tidbits of her own experiences, Lisa gives the reader support and helpful, practical information on the

One of my favorite speeches of all time is Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech . In it, he saw the oppression, discrimination and segregation of the time but looked forward to the future with optimism, hope and prayer. It is evident from the speech that he loved our country and the ideals on which we were founded. These words he prayed, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.' speak of a vision he believed could be achieved. Reading his words again today, I wonder how he would view how far we have come and the journey we have left to travel before we truly judge people by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin. He spoke of immeasurable faith, in our country and in fellow citizens of all colors and religions. "With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of

Have you seen this commercial from Sussex (England) Safer Roads Partnership yet? It started making the rounds on the internet and email back in February, but I just received it. It's message is so simple, beautiful, and raw that it made me break out in tears the first time I saw it. This powerful creative method of reminding people to wear a seatbelt even has their own Facebook group now. Embrace Life. Pass it on!

Another weekend and a second First Communion in our family. One of the real joys of the Easter season is witnessing all of the ways that Christ lives around us through His Resurrection. We are all called to be living signs of the Resurrection. We learn how to be this sign through our experience with the Eucharist. Every morning God asks us “Do you love me” and it is a daily struggle to follow – to allow God to enter us, to be a part of who we are. To come to the Eucharist and say Our God Is Here. Jesus asks us to trust in Him. Through the Blessed Sacrament of Reconciliation we say to Jesus, “I’m sorry I didn’t trust in you.” But in the Eucharist Jesus says to us, “I trust YOU.” I trust so much that I give you this Body and Blood. I trust you to grow in love. He trusts us and loves us so much that he gave His whole self to us. Jesus knew that being good is hard for all of us. That’s why he gave us this Holy Communion. Through him we are given the strength to trust Him and make the ri