Tag Archives: Family Values

Happy Father’s Day

Leave a reply

father and son walking-dad quote-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Father’s Day!

Fathers are so important. It is easy to forget that, especially in a society torn by divorce and mixed messages about marriage. As a great reminder, Dr. Greg Popcak has listed 15 Reasons Dads Matter. I can personally attest to many of these as I witness them in my own home, especially in regards to language and social development.

Reading (3)Ever since she was a baby, I could always see a positive change and growth in our daughter each time Daddy interacted with her. Her facial expressions and mannerisms have always been different with him than with me. As she has grown older, I can see changes in her speech and vocabulary after each playtime with Daddy. Suddenly, she is a big girl with loads of self-esteem because Daddy, her prince, has spent time with her, even if only a few minutes (of course, the more time the better, but we work with what we have). These are precious development, precious moments for both her and us.

How grateful I am that we have an entire day dedicated to celebrating and honoring fathers! Their presence and support is irreplaceable.

On behalf of all of us at Mid-MO NFP, I’d like to wish a special day to all fathers, natural and spiritual, those who are with us and those who have gone before us, to those whose children are in heaven, and especially our NFP dads. Your loving support, protection, guidance, and witness mirror the love of our heavenly Father. May He bless you for it and all the sacrifices you make in service of Him and your families. We pray especially for our spiritual fathers, our priests, pastors, brothers, whom we also honor and thank today for their ministry to us. May God bless you all!

NFP Family Potluck June 28th

Leave a reply

potluckpic6-28-15Summer time is here again! Well, okay, not officially until Sunday, but you know what I mean.

It’s time for our annual NFP Family Potluck! I know, weekend plans get booked way ahead for some families, but we hope you can squeeze this into the agenda. There’s always room for good food and fellowship, right? 😉

This year the event will be held  Sunday, June 28th, at Schaefer Pavilion, which is just outside Jefferson City (3108 Cedar Bend Rd.). Dinner will be from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM. Some of us will also be attending the first Mass of Thanksgiving by newly ordained Fr. Geoff Brooks at Immaculate Conception at 2:00 PM. Feel free to join in either/both celebrations.

Note: Due to food allergies, we ask that you do not bring finger foods that contain milk, eggs or nuts.

We hope to see you there!

 

New Life & Spring Happenings

Leave a reply

Hello NFP Family! My apologies for the long blog silence. God has blessed us with a new addition to the household and it has taken some time to readjust.

1-{4afd34a5-52a1-4973-8ae8-2d2cada689cc}_8BW - Copy-001

I am always amazed by God’s love. It is so wondrous and creative. He has used the love Jeremy and I have for each other to bring about a totally new human person, complete with body and soul, who will live for eternity. The mystery of creation and of God’s love is so profound and unfathomable, and yet we can hold it in our hands.

How quickly our lives can change! This time last year, we had no idea that we would be loving this new person into existence. Some know that we have been sincerely praying for a while for the blessing of more children, and so we thank those who have joined our petitioning the Lord, with special thanks to St. Joseph for his special intercession.

And so this Spring as we celebrate the gift of new life, and each new day God blesses us with, I will also be attempting to garden without a green thumb. I try to keep in mind, though, that God gives us all that we need to accomplish His will if we ask, including the energy with which to do it, and so as I attempt to find the balance with time and energy I will try my best to stay on top of posting. Note that the key work here is try. My philosophy is that my family gets the best of my time and attention, and as blogging is another skill I am still learning, like gardening, I cannot promise there will not be some lapses. I hope, though, that you will hang in there and continue to follow along as I chronicle the happenings in our little part of the world.

Upcoming Event: NFP Potluck
We are planning a Mid-Missouri NFP Family Potluck in June. Yay! I always enjoy catching up with other NFP families, and meeting new friends. The details will be forthcoming, but it looks like it will be June 28th, so keep that date in mind for us as we would really like to see you there!

Inspirational Reading
I thought I would share with you a post by Haley from Carrots for Michaelmas, in which she offers some tips for when you are not quite yet living the life you dreamed. Haley and her family are preparing to embark on a new adventure which they have been working hard to achieve. I have a feeling that this may speak to many of us. I find it inspirational as I know we are not in our “ideal” place. In our fast-paced world of instant gratification, it is helpful to know that there are others like us out there who through hard work are still achieving a greater dream. Maybe for some, those dreams include having children, or more children, owning a home, having a better and more fulfilling job, and so on. For Jeremy and I, the hard work lies in exercising more patience and fortitude, and continually trying to align our hearts with the will of God through prayer so that we stay true to His calling in our lives, as He knows best what will make us happiest. As the saying goes (in my own words): God always answers prayers; sometimes He says “no,” or at least, “not yet.” For those of you who are also in this situation, and who may be receiving this answer from God, I pray for the patience and fortitude you need, and that God is ready to bestow, to endure this time of working and waiting, while enjoying the blessings of every day.

And may God bless you this Easter springtime with new life!

50 Shades of Grey: A Picture of Distorted Love

Leave a reply
rock

Home, sweet home.

Apparently, I live under a rock. A big one.

Until recently I had no idea about the book 50 Shades of Grey being made into a movie. Back when the book was first released and all the rage, I knew of a couple of women who had read the book, but instantly chalked it up to yet another book that denigrated women, men and marriage.

Essentially an erotic story of a couple’s sadistic relationship, it was hard for me to understand why so many people, especially women, would buy into such a story until I read this article by Dr. Greg Popcak, Why is 50 Shades of Grey So Popular. As Dr. Popcak says, there is always more than one explanation for such things, but his theory that it is linked to repressed femininity strikes true with me.

I’d like to quote his entire article – it is all worth reading and not very long – but I will restrain myself and stick to this blurb which might capture his meaning:

“[T]here is a major theme that I have observed that contributes to the tendency for many–even, apparently, a majority–of women to desire and/or submit themselves to this kind of treatment. Namely, our prevailing culture’s secular-feminist ethic makes it taboo for women to want to be vulnerable in any healthy ways. Women are told they must expect to take care of themselves. They must be strong, self-sufficient and powerful. Of course there is nothing wrong–and everything right–with being a capable, competent woman. But many women are taught that they must take this a step further. They can never allow themselves to be vulnerable. They must be competent at all things, and at all costs. They don’t let themselves need anyone, least of all a man.”

It is at times like this when I feel the message of NFP is needed more than ever. Regardless of the reason couples choose to begin using NFP, through its practice men and women inevitably gain a greater appreciation of the beauty and gift of their sexuality, and a greater respect for each other. Respect leads to love, not use and thus abuse. We were made to love people and use things. The 50 Shades message would have us believe otherwise.

I encourage you to read his article, and then his subsequent one if you would like ideas on how to Fight the Power of 50 Shades of Grey. In addition to Dr. Popcak’s book, Holy Sex!, below are some books you might want to check out if interested in learning more about true femininity and masculinity:

 

CCL Cooks: More Recipes

Leave a reply

potato-544073_640This post is all about food today! At a recent training, our CCL teacher and promoter couples shared good fellowship and food, always a winning combination. Today I get to pass along a bit of the festivity by sharing some of the recipes enjoyed that day. Hooray!

For more recipes by our cooks, check out this page.

Black Bean Soup by Missy Bailes

  • 2 cans black beans
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • Âœ jar salsa
  • Spices to taste
  • Cut up smoked sausage

Bring to a boil and simmer until beans and seasonings are cooked through.

Chili by Kate Basi

  • 1 lb. ground beef, browned
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 large can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cans chili beans
  • 1 1/2-2 T. chili powder
  • Dash of cumin

Bring to a boil and simmer to desired consistency.

Pumpkin Crunch by Missy Bexten
Click here for the recipe (made without the whipped topping).

Muffins by Maria Henson
Click here for that recipe (one batch was made with chocolate chips and another with strawberry bits).

Pope Francis & Responsible Parenthood

Leave a reply

Who can be surprised to hear that the news and social media are portraying Pope Francis incorrectly? I love our Pope! I am so grateful that he fearlessly proclaims the truth in every situation and sees questions as opportunities of evangelization. He recently seized the moment to comment about responsible parenthood, a term coined in past Church documents.

Responsible parenthood refers to each couple’s virtuous decision to plan or postpone mom-20666_1280conception based on the needs of the family, existing and future. In our sympto-thermal NFP classes, through the Couple Couple League, we teach briefly about how responsible parenthood is a guide for couples’ use in planning their family. In class, couples learn a NFP method of fertility awareness. Responsible parenthood is the next step: taking that information home and prayerfully discerning together what God may be calling them to in light of their circumstances.

Of course, the media tried to spin his words, but it has created another opportunity for the rest of us to dialogue on this seldom referenced topic.

Rather than listen to me ramble on, I recommend reading Dr. Greg Popcak’s review of the Pope’s comments, Pope Francis and Catholic Rabbits-5 Points to Consider. After reading them, I am reminded of how powerful this teaching from the Church truly is, and how empowering! The truth sets us free.

 

A Time of Waiting

Leave a reply
Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar

I love the liturgical seasons! Right now we are celebrating Advent, the days leading up to Christmas. Beginning Christmas Day, we celebrate the Christmas season for almost two weeks (this year it is eleven days, leading up to the Feast of the Epiphany). For now, daily Mass readings and liturgical observances allow us to slow down, enjoy each day, not live tomorrow before it comes, while also building anticipation and thus a more joyous celebration when Christmas begins.

I have appreciated the daily Advent reflections by Fr. Robert Barron (if you haven’t heard about or receive them, you can check them out here). Reflecting on the idea of waiting, I have been thinking about the concept of abstinence, and how it is misunderstood today. (I feel compelled to clarify that Fr. Barron does not mention sexual abstinence in his Advent reflections.) It seems that some people see NFP as some sort of non-sex program. (Yet, others equate NFP with large families…?) These misconceptions are often are based on assumptions, hype, and inadequate information.

Couples using Natural Family Planning plan intercourse around the naturally occurring times of fertility and infertility they see on their personal charts. If they desire children, they use the fertile times to have intercourse. If they desire to postpone pregnancy, they use the infertile times. The counter-cultural idea here is that a couple would have to wait before satisfying a sexual desire. What many, many people miss is that intercourse that is truly loving is not a matter of merely satisfying sexual desire: it is becoming one with your spouse through an act of self-giving. When the desire to become united with your spouse comes at a time that would not best serve the other, couple or family, couples practice self-discipline and find other ways to show love for each other, and they often find that these practices strengthen their marriage as well.

Abstinence is self-discipline. We discipline ourselves through exercise, by refraining from eating sweets while on a diet, and establishing routines and schedules in our lives, all to achieve goals. Discipline can be difficult, but when we value the goal it is worth the sacrifice, and it makes the goal more worthy, while making us healthier persons.

Abstinence means practicing self-discipline and waiting, as in Advent, to celebrate the gift of each other at the right time. And then! When the time of waiting has passed, the celebration is that much richer.

May God bless us with all the graces needed during our times of waiting, and may we give thanks for them.

Your Love Story

Leave a reply

your love story header logo

I don’t know about you, but I’m really looking forward to CCL’s new book, Your Love Story: the Couple to Couple League Guide to Engagement and Marriage! Not yet published, CCL is seeking help with funding their publishing campaign, spreading the word about it’s upcoming release, and prayer for it’s success. Can you help?

If you haven’t heard about the book yet, here is one synopsis: “Deacon Bill Turrentine has written a book entitled Your Love Story. It offers a profound challenge to our secular-dominated culture’s shallow and impoverished view of sex and marriage. This book is an unapologetic reaffirmation of God’s intention for sex and marriage. Well reasoned and researched, using personal stories, illustrations, and humor, Your Love Story is the perfect guide for couples seeking authentic, lifelong marriage.”

“This book, Your Love Story, offers the truth about marriage and family in a way that young people can relate to.” We need more books like this! And I know your help in making this one available sooner will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

The New Evangelization & NFP

Leave a reply

How do the two go together? Kind of like this…

800px-Pope_Francis_hugs_a_man_in_his_visit_to_a_rehab_hospital

Photo by Tomaz Silva/ABr (AgĂȘncia Brasil)

Usually I am a fast reader, but when it comes to papal documents I can only absorb bits at a time. I am only a few pages into Evangelii Gaudium (the Joy of the Gospel), but already I feel the joyful spirit of Pope Francis’ words reinvigorating my zeal for proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. In this document, Pope Francis is asking us to do just that, you and me, in our own homes, communities, in our everyday interactions with those we meet, to renew our lives with the love and joy of Christ. Personally, while reading his words I hear the Holy Spirit calling me to increase my efforts in proclaiming God’s Good News particularly in promoting Natural Family Planning. How is that evangelizing?

Natural Family Planning (NFP) builds up a culture of life, which means a society that respects the dignity of life from conception to death. NFP does this by freeing couples, and thus society, from the harmful effects of contraception, and the mentality that often corresponds to its use (i.e. “It is okay to harm my body to satisfy my desires or for convenience”). When couples begin to use and understand NFP, they naturally begin to understand and respect their bodies more, and they come to see themselves as more than just a body. They are persons.

When men and women begin to see themselves as persons with dignity and worth, they begin to see others that way as well, and so a proper self-love grows and also becomes a love of “my other self.” Parents who have a proper self-love and love of others transmit this image to their children. Then these people who see themselves and each other as beautiful become a beautiful, holy family. This beautiful, holy family, in turn begins to evangelize society with their loving witness. This is the work we do person to person, couple to couple, when we teach and promote Natural Family Planning.

And thus, this is one small way I can participate in the New Evangelization.

Do you feel Pope Francis’ call to spreading the Joy of the Gospel?

A Reflection on Extended Breastfeeding

Leave a reply

I feel as if I am coming a bit “out of the closet” as I disclose that I am still breastfeeding my almost 3-year old daughter.

Of course, it is heartening to have at least one professional organization, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), encourage breastfeeding up to two years and beyond Breastfeedingwhenever possible. I also draw support from books such as these, which reaffirm me in the true physical, psychological, emotional, and economical benefits, and offer tips for certain situations. But when I take a personal inventory of acquaintances, I find I know not one other person who is currently breastfeeding a toddler as I am (unless they too are in the closet?), and knowing that there may be others like myself who desire community of this sort prompts me to share some encouraging thoughts.

Most moms of young children these days cease breastfeeding relationship early because they must return to work, sometimes by 6 weeks. As we prepared for marriage, Jeremy and I agreed to work towards the goal of my being able to stay home to raise our children when the time came. This has not happened easily. There have been many challenges, and it is something we pray for guidance to continue to do. When our daughter turns 3, we will have breastfed for 156 weeks! Not something I can put on her birthday cake I suppose, but I would like to celebrate it anyhow. Those 156 weeks will represent for me a mother-child relationship I never dreamed could be so close.

I could go on for hours (and have!) about all the benefits of breastfeeding we have experienced. Another post, another time. Simply, though, it has given our daughter a healthy start in life in those areas previously mentioned (emotionally, physically, etc.).

One humbling thought: no one will ever have this same relationship with her. No one will ever be able to experience the closeness we share, the snuggles, smiles, and caresses we have exchanged. I wonder how many hours, minutes it has been? A million indescribable moments remain fixed between us in a bond that will last forever.

We also co-sleep (there goes another closet!), and I wish I could describe for you the joy of waking up together. From the time she was a tiny baby, it was the most precious, magical 4427378_f520time of the day. Some may imagine that the rest of the household, the husband/father and/or other children, suffer from this consumption of the mother’s time and energy, but that is like imagining that parents have only so much love and that another child will take away from everyone else’s share. It simply does not happen, and is only imagined by those who do not know that it can be any other way. When the quality of any relationship increases, it benefits the entire family, and in the case of breastfeeding, the result is a joy-filled child and mother whose cups brim over and spill out to the whole household.

A bit too poetical? Not even close.

In the same breath I will attest to the many challenges of breastfeeding, but they seem entirely inconsequential when I hold this growing child close and realize it will not last forever. And I must add, it is all made possible and easier by a loving, supportive husband who is entirely a blessing to me.

And so we thank Our Lord for having this time together, for it is a blessing from Him. Those who doubt the existence or closeness of a loving God-Father may doubt my prayer, but I don’t. There is something of Truth and Beauty reflected in this love my child and I share. He is in every moment.