Mama's Mission for November

My friend, Erika, is on a mission. She's right that we don't share all the bad stuff.  We blog about the great days, the fun stuff and the cute things our children say.   Those of us who blog about our lives often hold ourselves accountable when we share various aspects of our lives on our blog. More likely when we share the things we'd LIKE to do or how we'd like to be.  I often share the ugly side of living with chronic illness, but I certainly don't share it all. Some aspects just aren't fit for print! Perhaps, part of my mission could be about sharing with others the details of chronic illness? I know that I have been helped tremendously over the years by those moms who have been willing to share the good, the bad and the ugly with me. I also have a mission to accomplish-- to be a better Catholic, follower of Jesus and a better homeschooling mom.  I think this monthly mission and exercise in accountability will be helpful for me!

I think the monthly mission idea is a great one - especially for those of us who are trying to live authentic Catholic lives.   Mama Jenn first started the Monthly mission.  I'm going to label my completed missions under the label  "Mission Complete" and things I don't get done under "Mission Not Complete Yet"

So, my Mama Mission for November is going to be to participate in Christie's Challenge of the month and a few other things.  My mission is going to center around a more authentic Catholic life, I mean, my blog is about A Catholic Life, right?  So, I plan on making it to confession at least twice a month.... let me make a list:

1) Participate in Christie's monthly challenge
2) Go to confession at least twice this month
3) Do a little fall cleaning
4) Update the medication lists
5) Finish reading Consoling the Heart of Jesus
5) Start Reading Fulfillment of All Desire
6) Go to daily Mass at least once a week
7) Finish going through clothes and donate them
8) Try to make my evening prayer time a little longer
9) Don't skip morning offering and prayers

Want to join me?  I'm hoping this Mama's Mission will bring me closer to A Catholic Life and get a few extra things done along the way!

Let's make this Clear: Obama is pro-abortion

LifeNews has compiled his record which can be seen here. 

I have a bumper sticker on my car that says, "You can't be both Catholic and pro-choice". I've seen stickers that say, "You can't be Christian and pro-choice". True.

The Catholic Church has always been clear on defending life from the moment of conception.  We need to be clear and defend life from the moment of conception. As Catholics, our bishops told us in the last election that LIFE was the most important issue. I say, without life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not possible. What do social justice (read welfare) programs help if we kill them before they are born?

Last election, I was amazed at the number of "Catholics" who voted for (or at least supported) Obama in the election. How can a pro-life people put Obama stickers on their cars? Because they don't care about babies being murdered in the womb.  I pray that Catholics will vote pro-life in this next election. Because, without life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not possible. Everyone deserves a chance to live and have liberty and happiness. Steve Jobs was adopted, what if his mother had aborted him instead of giving him up for adoption? Would we have all the cool apple products? That's something to ponder.  Would we have a cure for AIDS already?  Did we abort the mind that would have figured that out or found a cure for cancer? 

30 Days of Giving and Thanks Challange (Days 1 & 2)

Over at Bushel and a Peck, Christie is having a year of challenges.  She started this a few months ago.  November's challenge is 30 days of giving and thanks. This Challenge is designed to stir up our sense of gratitude for all the blessings in our lives. Over this thirty days, we will be finding ways each day to Give or to offer Thanks. It doesn’t have to be monetary, but it certainly can be. You can sign up by visiting her blog here.

Here is what Christie's family is doing ( took this from this link):

Here’s what Christie says her family is doing:

"Even days of the month (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.), an act of “Thanks” - a notecard to a family member, co-worker, friend, or neighbor to say that you are thankful for them. 

Odd days (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) an act of giving, just because. We’re going with small gifts that will either be hand-carried or mailed. From homemade items to small gift cards ($5)

You can do 100 different things. You can make baked goods and deliver them with a note-card every other day. You can create homemade crafts. You can show up at someone’s house and clear their leaves. You can clean for an elderly friend. You can volunteer at a soup kitchen. You know what your family is good at and can commit to! You can come up with a variety of amazing ways to offer Thanks or Give to others. Whatever you decide, the discipline is to make it happen all of the 30 days of November. This is a choice to say that for this year, for this month, for this holiday season - we’re reaching out to those we maybe haven’t been so great at keeping up with, or maybe those we just want to show extra love to, or to those who have needs that we can meet. Whatever your reasons, and whomever you lavish your Thanks and Giving on…we want to turn-around the habit of taking care of ourselves or always looking out for #1 into Giving and Thanks. You will be blessed! (trust me…)"

 

 I like to make cards for people... I often donate them to others to give to their friends and family.  I've been working the last several days on making cards to give away. Today, we brought a friend to the range, does that count as giving a gift? ~smile~  As each day goes by this month, I hope to complete this challenge each day!

The Versatile Blogger

Several months ago, Lisa awarded me with the Versatile Blogger Award... and with all the medical craziness, I never did anything with it. I was supposed to award it to 15 of my favorite blogs (do I read 15 blogs?) ....

The rules of the award are:
1) Thank the giver
2) Tell 7 things about yourself
3) Award fifteen bloggers with the award

Fun Stuff!   Seven things about me... hmmm... Here's what I wrote a few months ago.

1) I love my Catholic faith (still do!)
2)I love being a wife, mother and homeschooling mom (well, most days, anyway! ~smile~) I love my family (check).
3) I am passionate about finding a cure for Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome and Mitochondrial Disease (AMEN)
4) I think God has a sense of humor because I often feel he picked the wrong mom to raise chronically ill kids! Most days, with God's grace, I handle it well.... other days I don't do so well (Still the same.. abnormal bone marrow biopsies and brain MRI/MRS is testing my ability to cope)
5) I love and support the Second Amendment (Went to the range today, as a matter of fact, so, yes... I still love the second amendment)
6) I love gardening (Yep)
7) I have a passion for cooking (hey-- that's why I started Pattie's Kitchen) (YES!)

Now for my favorite blogs... I'm awarding the Versatile Blogger Award to these Bloggers (I'm several months late, but it is my blog, right?)

1) Not Just an Ordinary Life
2) Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints
3) Cause of Our Joy
4) Kix in Life
5) Bushel and a Peck
6) Nun Blog
7) Colombian Brewed
8) Forever, For Always, No Matter What
9) Homespun Love
10) Adventures of a Trailing Spouse
11) Keep Infants with Down Syndrome
12) Totus Tuus family & Catholic Homeschool
13) Thoughts, ramblings, Points of Interest (Mito Blog)
14) Mito Families
15) Duru Kuzusu