The School Bell is Ringing….Are You Ready?

25 Thursday Aug 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Organization Skills

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My “Getting Ready for School” repost….

I love school days. I am teaching a couple of the grandchildren. Here is my little schoolroom and my two little students.

Notice the Pennants hanging that the kids have colored. They have been enjoying those and we will continue to add to the collection and switch them up. You can download the pennants from this post.

Here are Theresa’s pennants that the students have been enjoying….

The school schedule can be a beautiful thing….it’s all in the attitude. So….Let’s Get Ready!

The School Bell is Ringing….Are You Ready?

With school just around the corner and so many responsibilities and things to accomplish, we may get a little nervous on how we are going to pull it all off.

I know, for me, summer time is so full, my days are bursting, that I truly wonder how I am going to “fit” school back in with all its demands.

I find my life goes in spurts. I am organized for a time, then it slips through my fingers for awhile. I have learned not to get discouraged, trusting that, with grace, I will get it together again. So I know what works for me and I know what doesn’t. Floundering does not work. 🙂 It is always good to have a plan.

The following are a few things that help me along the way not to get too stressed. Maybe a point or two might work for you, too.

1. Make your list. If you are feeling overwhelmed you may think that writing it all down will make you feel more burdened. That’s not how it works. When you can get it down on paper, you can sort and prioritize. Those lowest on the “essential” list can be put on the next day so you can slowly work at getting them all done. If you don’t get it done the next day, continue to add it to the next one. Checking each thing off gives you a sense of accomplishment and energizes you!

2. Keep the house picked up. My corners aren’t always great but if you were to walk into my house at a given time, it would be generally clean….unless we decided to go play volleyball instead of doing the dishes right away (priorities, you know. 🙂 )

3. Go to Bed. 🙂 If I can go to bed and get up at consistent hours, it helps a lot. It’s important for the kids to do the same. Summertime is a season of later bedtimes. We loosen up the night time schedule and relax for a spell. It is quite refreshing….for a time. I notice how much it affects the next day, these inconsistent and later schedules. That’s okay for a while during the summer but you wouldn’t want to do that during school days. So regularity on getting to bed is important.

4. Wake up at a consistent time, earlier than the family, if you can. With the demands of young children, and the lack of sleep that goes with that, this isn’t always possible. At times like those, we need to just offer it up. That being said, nothing helps me more than getting up before everyone else, getting my prayers said, and doing other duties before the family gets up. It gets me started on the right foot.

5. Plan Your Meals! Okay this one I am not very good at but, Wow! does it take the stress-load off!! I have periods in my life when my girls are taking over the meals so it is hard for me to get back in the swing of things when they are occupied with other life things. But it makes such a huge difference! So if you can get it together once a week to plan those meals, DO SO! It will make a positive impact on your week!

6. Get yourself fully dressed first thing, right down to your shoes. This will help you to get motivated to accomplish things right off in the morning. I also wash my face with cold water first thing in the morning. I started that 2 years ago when we had the drought. It was a waste of water to leave the tap running until it got warm, so the cold water did the job and now I like the “pick me up” it gives me. Try it! 🙂

So…what kind of things make me feel more organized and on top of things:

!. Number one for me is sticking to my “Spiritual List”, starting with morning prayers and then the other simple spiritual things on that list throughout the day. If I can check each of those off then I feel like I have accomplished the most important duty and can have the focus and grace to accomplish the other ones that fill up my day.

2. If I haven’t already got an ongoing chore list for the kids (better if it is made the night before) so they know what they should be doing, I make a quick one in the morning for each child. Then everyone knows what they should be doing and you don’t have to have your mind going in all different directions trying to figure out what needs to be done and who needs to do it! The kids are able to tackle their jobs and have the satisfaction of checking it off each time it is accomplished! (Mom….don’t forget to inspect those chores!)

3. Keep the house picked up. (I know, I talked about this already.) Don’t get obsessive about it, especially if you have young children, but periodically through the day get everyone to help with a “pick-me-up”. When you can look at a clean table and a generally clean house, it invigorates and at the same time relaxes you. It’s easier to focus on the next thing to be done.

4. Delegate. Remember, you are the supervisor. Of course, supervisors get their hands dirty, too, but if there is something that you can delegate, do. It helps the children to grow into responsible adults.

5. Don’t listen to negative self-talk. Don’t analyze it, just don’t listen to it. Period. It will bring you down and make you sluggish in accomplishing what you need to get done. Instead, look at your list and do the next thing, say a prayer, grab a book and read it, spend some time with the kids. It’s not worth listening to the rubbish that goes on inside your head.

6. DON’T feel sorry for yourself!! If you have lots to do, thank God for it. He will help you accomplish it….one step at a time. There are many lonely people in this world, many trapped in their addictions, many sad and discouraged because of broken relationships. Learn to thank God for what you DO HAVE and all the wonderful things you GET TO DO each day. Sometimes it just takes an attitude change. He never gives us more than we can bear. Believe it!

7. One last tip….a little self-care goes a long way. Take a little time for yourself each day. It doesn’t have to be long, but something that will rejuvenate you…Reading a good book with a cup of tea, spending a half hour on your craft, taking a walk outside, hiding in your bedroom and eating the chocolate you have hidden for yourself…I like this one! You get the picture. Everyone’s situation is different and you can figure something out to give you a fresh kickstart during the day. Everything looks a little brighter after some revitalizing!

“Hospitality is so much more than entertaining-so much more than menus and decorating and putting on a show. To me, it means organizing my life in such a way that there’s always room for one more, always an extra place at the table or an extra pillow and blanket, always a welcome for those who need a listening ear. It means setting aside time for planned camaraderie and setting aside lesser priorities for impromptu gatherings.” -Emilie Barnes. Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home

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The Mother’s Maglet, Wife’s Maglet, Young Lady’s, Sunshiny Disposition, True Womanhood and The Heart of the Home During Advent and Christmas…..Available here.

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A School Activity ~ DIY Colorful Pennant Border for Your Children!

16 Tuesday Aug 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in Activities, by Leane Vdp, Education, FF Tidbits, Printables

≈ 3 Comments

I am getting ready to teach some of my grandchildren this year and I always like to think of fun things we can do to decorate our “classroom” and to keep the children engaged while working with one of the other students. So I came up with this idea and thought I would share it with you…

These are pennant borders for the classroom that are simple and the kids can make themselves. What child doesn’t like to color? And when their coloring efforts are displayed in the classroom, how satisfying is that?

The Pennants

Supplies needed:

*My Pennant Series (links below)

This is the School Pennant Series

This is the Fall Pennant Series

This is the Religious Pennant Series

*Cardstock

*Crayons or Pencil Crayons (We used pencil crayons)

*Scissors

*Hole Punch

*Ribbon

I used light cardstock to print the pennants out.

The children color them….

After they are colored, they cut them out on the triangular outline….

Punch out the holes for the ribbon…

Insert the ribbon through the holes and tie it. I left about 1 – 2 inches between each pennant….

You can switch these pennants up according to the season or to your tastes.

Mix and match as you like to make an interesting, colorful and fun pennant. And now you have a lovely homemade border for your schoolroom! Enjoy!

The education of your children is the result of the combined efforts of both parents. But in his youngest years, the child is almost exclusively under the mother’s guidance.

Your efforts are to produce effects that will have their final reckoning in eternity. Although your educational influence is of a nature entirely different from that of the father, your vocation as mother is equal in importance to your husband’s. -The Catholic Family Handbook, Fr. Lovasik https://amzn.to/2DbczVj (afflink)

The ideal wife gives comfort and encouragement when needed. She is wise with a woman’s intuition…

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This booklet contains practical advice on the subjects of dating and choosing a spouse from the Catholic theological viewpoint. Father Lovasik points out clearly what one’s moral obligations are in this area, providing an invaluable aid to youthful readers. Additionally, he demonstrates that Catholic marriage is different from secular marriage and why it is important to choose a partner who is of the Catholic Faith if one would insure his or her personal happiness in marriage. With the rampant dangers to impurity today, with the lax moral standards of a large segment of our society, with divorce at epidemic levels, Clean Love in Courtship will be a welcome source of light and guidance to Catholics serious about their faith.A Frank, Yet Reverent Instruction on the Intimate Matters of Personal Life for Young Men. To our dear and noble Catholic youths who have preserved, or want to recover, their purity of heart, and are minded to retain it throughout life. For various reasons many good fathers of themselves are not able to give their sons this enlightenment on the mysteries of life properly and sufficiently. They may find this book helpful in the discharge of their parental responsibilities in so delicate a matter.

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Fathers…Husbands ~ A Time to Reflect

20 Monday Jun 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Loving Wife

≈ 1 Comment

Disclaimer

Yesterday was Father’s Day……the day that we acknowledge our fathers and our husbands.

These special men in our lives are imperfect people, but they hold a very important position in the family. They deserve the love and respect their position necessitates.

I know there are some husbands/fathers who are easier to love and respect than others. And there are wives who are more prone to seek out ways to make their husbands happy in the home.

There have been times in my life I have slipped into more negative attitudes towards my husband. The children pick up on it right away. It is damaging because the children see our example. If it is consistent, it affects the stability and the love in the home.

Remember that your children will follow your example in respecting and loving their father (and eventually their own husbands or superiors) in the home. They will also learn to disregard you, the mother, if they see you disrespecting your husband. It really does come back to bite us.

We need to take a hard look at our own attitudes towards our husbands and recognize an unhealthy outlook and battle against it.

Our first line of defense in getting our children to love and respect us is to first love and respect our husbands. In the Catholic home there should be no putting down of your husband. Our husband should be highly esteemed and revered. Marriage is a picture of Christ and His Church and we need to work on reflecting that in our actions towards our husbands.

Pamela Spurling from Welcome Home says:

“What *is* important is that you love him. What’s important is that you esteem and respect him. What’s important is that you demonstrate it to him. What’s important is that you show it around your children. What’s important is that you demonstrate that reverential love around others.

What’s important is that you learn to mean it with your whole heart. Even if he never gets that shed cleaned out. Even if he never gets the yard in order or mows that lawn diagonally so it looks better than neighbor Joe’s. Even if he never says things the way you think he should, or chews with his mouth closed, or keeps his shirt tucked in right, or gets you the right birthday presents or finishes household projects. Even if he never makes you all the wooden goodies Mr. John Doe makes for his wife, or never buys you surprise gifts. Even if he never learns anything more about automobiles than where to put the key to start them and where to put the gas to keep them running. So what.

What’s important is that you do what the LORD has designed you to do… and let the LORD work on your husband’s weak spots. I think we have much to work on without overly concerning ourselves with what they are or are not.

There is an amazing thing that wives can do and that is to love and support and build up husbands, and what a joyful thing it is to see the husband growing into the man God has designed him to be.

So, if you have been caught in the trap or habit of putting down your husband, mocking his leadership, disobeying known desires, disrespecting his words and views… rolling your eyes at his latest idea… sighing at his most recent business plan… you can turn. You can turn today. You can turn today and travel a different path. You can turn today and travel the path that God has designed for you.”

Yesterday way Father’s Day. The one day of the year that is chosen to honor Dad. I hope it was special. Let’s make a sincere effort to make him number one in our lives all year round.

One of our friends asked my husband if we were doing anything special for Father’s Day. He smiled at her and said, “Every day is Father’s Day!” I was humbled and I admit, it is because he is a good man with a great attitude! 🙂

May wives everywhere strive to make every day Father’s Day!

Build your husband up in your children’s presence. It is up to you to assure he is a hero in their eyes. They should know why he works so hard….and that it is the reason for the roof over their heads and the food on the table. That time when Dad arrives home needs to be a highlight in their day! -Finer Femininity

You see, we don’t marry Prince Charming and live happily ever after. We are humans and we have faults….many faults….Both of us, husband and wife. It takes consistent effort to make a good marriage. Every day, every hour, every minute, we need to be thinking the right thoughts, praying the right prayers, listening to the right people and doing the right things…

❤️🌹Our first line of defense is the bond we must have with our husband. Besides our spiritual life, which gives us the grace to do so, we must put our relationship with our husband first. It is something we work on each day.

How do we do this? Many times it is just by a tweaking of the attitude, seeing things from a different perspective. It is by practicing the virtues….self-sacrifice, submission, thankfulness, kindness, graciousness, etc.

The articles in this maglet will help you with these things. They are written by authors that are solid Catholics, as well as authors with old-fashioned values….
Available here.
Pkg Deal on Catholic Wife’s Maglet and Catholic Young Lady’s Maglet here.

I have prepared this Lenten journal to help you to keep on track. It is to assist you in keeping focused on making Lent a special time for your family. We do not have to do great things to influence those little people. No, we must do the small things in a great way…with love and consistency…

Timeless words from the pen of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen inspire the heart and imagination as readers embark on a Lenten journey toward a better understanding of their spiritual selves. Covering the traditional themes of Lent–sin and salvation, death and Resurrection, sorrow and hope, ashes and lilies–these 50 passages and accompanying mini-prayers offer readers a practical spiritual program as a retreat from the cares and concerns of a secular world view.
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Practical Tips on Modesty

07 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Modesty

≈ 6 Comments

by Leane VanderPutten

Today I’d like to talk a little bit about some of the practical aspects of living a modest lifestyle. You may also like to watch this video of my own thoughts on Modesty and also my Modesty Journey…

And here is my daughter, Rosie’s post on Modesty.

Before I get into the Practical Tips of Modesty, I just want to say a word about sewing…

You may not be a sew-er. A couple of my girls are, the rest…not really. But we have a sewing machine and the girls at home can sit down and sew a seam if they want to.

Thrift shops are our friend but oftentimes we need to let down a hem or add lace to a sleeve.

Sewing is not as complicated as learning how to use a cell phone, so it is something that is worthwhile learning. Even just the basics. In your modesty journey, a sewing machine is very helpful.

I have watched my oldest daughter, Virginia, take some curtains that she found at our favorite thrift store and turn it into a lovely skirt. When we need 3 or 4 inches added to a skirt, she always has material around to help in that area.

She gets sheets to line her aprons, lace and lovely vintage buttons to embellish her creations, and so much more! This makes it fun and exciting!

Sewing also helps if you have a more uncommon shape as a girl/woman.

OK, onto some practical tips…

PRACTICAL TIPS:

Six things to ponder…

1. You know the saying…I wear my heart on my sleeve? Well, we wear our hearts on the clothes we wear. We really do. So, What do the clothes I wear say about where my heart is??

2. When I go to choose an outfit for the day, am I choosing an outfit to attract attention in the wrong way to those around me? Am I seeking to impress Our Lord with the clothing I wear today….always with dignity and a touch of class.

3. Is what I wear consistent with Our Lady’s values of modesty, self-control and respectable apparel, or does my dress reveal an inordinate identification and fascination with sinful cultural values?

4. Who am I trying to identify with through my dress? Is the Church, the Fathers, Tradition and Our Lady my standard or is it the latest fashion?

5. Have I sought out other godly persons to help me decide an outfit if I am struggling whether it is modest enough?

6. The clothing I wear….could someone look at me and know that I am a woman of morals, of faith, of integrity. Or does my clothing contradict this profession of faith?

“How does a woman discern the sometimes fine line between proper dress and dressing to be the center of attention? The answer starts in the intent of the heart.

A woman should examine her motives and goals for the way she dresses. Is her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshiping God? Or is it to call attention to herself and flaunt her beauty? Or worse, to attempt to lure men sexually?

A woman who focuses on worshiping God will consider carefully how she is dressed, because her heart will dictate her wardrobe and appearance.” John MacArthur

Blouses and Tops:

CAMISOLES OR TANK TOPS

Camisoles are wonderful. We make much use out of them to put under our tops. They can help make a see-through top modest, and a top that is too low-cut suddenly is just fine. They can also help to keep the material on top of the camisole, your outer garment, too clingy.

You do have to be careful, though. You don’t want to get the spaghetti strap camisole and then have a see through top as the straps look like underwear anyway and expose too much of the back. But if see-through is not the issue, then a spaghetti strap camisole is fine IF it is high enough. If it isn’t then pin those straps to your bra.

You can look at camisoles here.

Personally I like to wear what I call a shell or tank top. They are sleeveless but not spaghetti straps. They cover more and usually come up more in the front. If you find the shell is too low, we have also worn with the back in the front. The back always come up higher. And since a lot of these shells don’t have tags on the back, just a bit of writing on the inside, this can work fine, too.

You can look at tank tops here.

Sometimes you can just use mock clip on camisoles if it is just the neckline you are trying to make more modest.My girls have done this. You can get them on Amazon or Ebay

Mock Camisoles can be found here.

Your underlay….the camisoles or shells may be a bit low. Do pin them so they don’t ride down during the day. If the girls forget to do this I am constantly reminding them to pull up their undershirt. What good is it if it is always riding down?

LIGHT, SEE THROUGH COMPLETE OVERLAYS:

We have a favorite Thrift Shop…it’s called God’s Storehouse…very fitting. There we have purchased several light, flowy, feminine, tops that are so light they go right over a t-shirt and don’t add a lot of bulk. Some of My girls love this look and with the t-shirt underneath it is perfectly modest. And the overlays can be quite pretty. Because they are more of a flowy cut one does not have to worry about clingy or tight.

I realize that you may think this is too hot for the summertime and I understand. One thing I have found, though, is that you can get quite used to a little more bulk. I never thought this was possible myself. We live in Kansas and it, too, is hot. I have found through the years that I can put up with a light layer and it doesn’t bug me like it used to. I am from Canada and the heat really gets to me!

BLOUSES

Also, just a lovely, short sleeve cotton blouse that is not see through is a good choice for the summer. I don’t button my top button but if the next button is a bit too low (remember the two-finger rule under the collar bone) I use a safety pin…always! Remember…safety pins are your friends!

Here’s a little tutorial on how to change a longer sleeve blouse into a short one….

Remember, though, that a blouse that is too tight is just that…too tight. Scrap it. How do we tell?

A shirt that shows tension folds at the bust area is too tight. Also, if the material pulls in right under the bust area…not good. There should be a natural flow between that area and your tummy area.

SLEEVES

Sleeves need to be longer than just a cap sleeve. You don’t want to be showing off your armpits…either with too short of a sleeve…or too flouncy.

LAYERING

In the winter time, layering is fun and very useful. You can wear those long sleeve t-shirts (and there are a multitude of colors available) with a vest over top, a nice lacy layer (light lace or a heavier knit), your complete flowy blouse overlay, etc. Scarves are wonderful for smoothing things out and covering up. I wouldn’t use a scarf, necessarily, for covering a low neck unless it was pinned in place. Scarves move around and aren’t always a good choice for that.

AVOID T-SHIRTS BECAUSE THEY TEND TO CLING TO ALL THE WRONG PLACES.

But…If I have a knit shirt that isn’t necessarily too tight but I may feel is drawing too much attention to the chest part, a scarf cuts that up pretty good and distracts from that area.

Once again, though, too tight is just too tight and needs to go…

Also, Don’t wear t-shirts with writing on them. It is like a billboard that your eyes are drawn to.

OVERLAYS WITH BROOCH OR SHAWL PINS

I like to use brooches to pin my overlays together in the front. And we have just discovered shawl pins that allows a little bit of room so you don’t have to pull that overlay together completely. They also are very pretty and work better than an actual brooch, in my opinion.

I really like these clips because they don’t put a hole in your garment. They are available here.

We use these shawl pins, too. Available here.

These pretty pearl shawl pins are available here.

DRESSES

NOT CLINGY OR TIGHT

Once again, knits can be clingy…but not all knits. So do try on those dresses before you buy them. You don’t want them tight.

The girls will often ask me when they come downstairs dressed to watch them walk so they know whether that skirt/dress clings too much. If it does, the skirt or dress goes out or they wear a longer overlay to compensate.

TOO SHORT

Dresses and skirts are too short if they don’t cover your knees when you sit down. I remember a good nun who was teaching class to her all-girl students…when the girl’s legs were up or her dress was too short, she would scold them saying she could see her “kingdom come”. We got the point.

My thought is….at least 4 inches past the knee. Really, it is much more elegant to wear a longer dress or skirt. That’s the way I see it…even on a natural level.

SWIMSUITS

with a little help from Modesty Matters by Pam Hardy

Let’s talk about swimsuits. Basically a swimsuit these days cover the same area of the body that your undergarments do. Let me ask you this? Would you go around wearing your underwear. I don’t think so. Yet, women (and men) do all the time when they are swimming.

Here’s a bit of a tidbit….

In 1922, if you wore what today would be considered a very modest one-piece swimsuit you would have been arrested for indecent exposure (Jeff Pollard, Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America). That is how much the standard has been lowered in our society, in the last 80 years.

I know many good girls who would say this, “You know when you get really honest, there is no such thing as a modest swimsuit.” I have to agree.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t go swimming. But it may not be quite as easy as the girl who just dons her one-piece or two piece bathing suit. That’s OK. It’s worth it.

Today there are many things to choose from online that are becoming more and more trendy for the girl who want to cover more than the average swimmer.

For us, we have had our bathing suits made. I don’t have any pictures….at least I couldn’t find any…so here is kind of what they look like. We make our skirts longer.

You can also do research online to find some good examples. Then if you are handy with the sewing machine you can make yourself one…or hire someone else to do it. It will be an investment well worth the money you spend on it.

Let’s make the effort to be modest when we swim. Will you look different than others? You bet! And that’s a good thing. Hold your head high…not in haughtiness…but in knowing you are making an effort to please God. And that is enough.

DRESSING MODESTLY IS COMFORTABLE…

Let’s face it. Being modest can work for us as far as covering up those things we are self-conscious about….and we look like beautiful feminine women…by covering up! More comfortable in that way..yes!

Also, looser fitting clothing is definitely more comfortable than tight-fitting clothing. Back in the day, I had friends who would get their jeans out of the dryer and literally have to lie on the bed to do the zippers up. They would shrink a bit during the laundering process and since they were skin tight, they were hard to get on! Sounds like a straight jacket to me…not too comfy!

Things that constrict movement are not very comfortable!

Wrapping it up…

When it comes to modesty, women have a responsibility (Men do, too, but this is not a men’s article):

Women must dress modestly and not be afraid to spread that good news with humility and charity.
Mothers need to teach their daughters to dress modestly at a very young age. You cannot allow immodesty and all of a sudden expect them to be modest at a magical age. Talk to your daughters about modesty, not in an unpleasant, condemning way…but in a bright and positive light. Make it pleasurable for them to dress modestly by allowing them to sew, or just shop for nice clothes.

When you dress modestly, what are the results? God and Our Lady are very pleased and you are a good example, an inspiration and an encouragement to others. You will have a clear conscience because you will not be a stumbling block to the men around you.

Remember our ultimate goal is to please God. In turn He will give us a peace and happiness…

For a list of Stores That Sell Modest Clothing see this post on Beauty So Ancient.

Swimsuits:

PLACES TO SHOP

Modli

Hydrochic

Dressing for His Glory

WHAT TO LOOK FOR ONLINE:

Sunsuits for girls

Surfsuits Rashguard – covers the top

Micosuza Women’s Skirted Swim Capris

Look for Jewish or Israeli modest swimwear

Micosuza swimsuit for women

Freestyle Swim Skirt Surf Tops

Alice von Hildebrand – “St. Francis de Sales tells us that pious women should be well-dressed, but this doesn’t mean they must become slaves of fashion. There’s a way of dressing which is attractive, even elegant, but at the same time modest and simple. More importantly, attractiveness shouldn’t be reserved for guests and those you meet outside the home, while you ‘let yourself go’ when you’re at home. The moment a couple marries, they should begin to try always to be at their best for each other, physically (and above all) spiritually.”

Here is a simple outline to ensure we are carrying out our daily duties as best we can on this road we travel as Catholic women. This is my own list of what I deem the basics of a successful day. It is an ideal I strive for. You may have your own plan, and I hope you do. If this can help in any way, then I have accomplished my goal with this video…

This journal is for the single lady who is in the interim before finding her vocation in life. At this very important crossroad in life, this journal can help with discipline, inspiration and encouragement.

All of the quotes deal with a young lady’s time in life….whether it is courtship, religious vocations, modesty and just a better spiritual life in general. A form of Morning and Night Prayers that I have used personally through the years is included at the beginning of the Journal.

This 30~day journal is a tool that will help the young woman to be disciplined in the next 30 days to write down positive, thankful thoughts. It will help her focus on the true and lovely by thinking about good memories, special moments, things and people she is grateful for, etc., as she awaits the time her vocation is made manifest to her.

NOW is the time to improve our lives!

Available here.

A Frank, Yet Reverent Instruction on the Intimate Matters of Personal Life for Young Men. To our dear and noble Catholic youths who have preserved, or want to recover, their purity of heart, and are minded to retain it throughout life. For various reasons many good fathers of themselves are not able to give their sons this enlightenment on the mysteries of life properly and sufficiently. They may find this book helpful in the discharge of their parental responsibilities in so delicate a matter.

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Self-Conscious Sue and the Ice Cream Social

02 Thursday Jun 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Peace....Leaving Worry Behind

≈ 4 Comments

A little story to remind us that the more we forget self, the happier we become….

by Leane VanderPutten

It was a lovely afternoon with the branches of the trees swaying in the breeze. Suzi was looking out the window as she was wiping the last of the dishes.

Tonight was the Ice Cream Social. All the young people in their parish, the neighboring parish and maybe even some out-of-towners would be there. There would be ice cream, games, a live band. It should be fun. The weather was mild and lovely.

But Sue’s brow was furrowed. She wasn’t thinking of the ice cream, the games or the weather. She was annoyed with herself…Why did she have to be so self-conscious around people? Why couldn’t she be more relaxed and comfortable? She knew others could tell she was self-conscious, and that made it worse.

While the outgoing, smiling girls made the boys and their comrades feel comfortable, Sue’s gestures were stiff…awkward…which made others feel awkward, too. So she was subtly avoided.

And tonight would be the same. Yes, Sue wanted to go, but she knew what would happen…again. She would struggle the whole evening pretending she wasn’t self-conscious. You can only fool yourself and others for so long.

She knew Charles would be there, too. She respected and liked Charles. He had an easy-going way about him. He was head of the Altar Servers, was religious, yet not with an air of fake piety.

Charles was genuine and liked by many. Tonight, once again, she would look on, wistful as the crowd gathered around him, chatting, laughing and having a good time.

It was hard on her.

And that’s why her brows were furrowed.

Her mom noticed. “Something wrong, dear?“

Sue winced. She didn’t really want to talk about it. It wasn’t something that could be solved by talking. She had learned that in the past.

Her mom sensed the reticence to talk and, not wanting to pry, said a little prayer for her daughter as she went to fold the rest of the clothes. She knew her daughter struggled with these things…

Sue finished the dishes and went to get dressed for the Social.

As she was passing the coffee table, she noticed a book perched on the corner. It was called “Quotes of Wisdom”. She went over and fingered the pages.

“Mom must have just got this book,” she thought.

She didn’t have much time but she opened it up and her eyes fell upon a quote by C.S. Lewis.

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.” She heard this quote before but this time was different. It struck a chord with her.

It’s true, she thought. She went to these parties, thinking of herself…how awkward she was, how shy she felt, how she wished she was like so-and-so or how she yearned Charles would pay attention to her.

Something clicked in Sue this time. “I’m going to do this party different,” she thought. “I’m going there and I’m going to think of others. I’m going to offer a hand to the hostess if she needs help. I’m going to notice if anyone is in need, or feeling awkward like I do, and be extra friendly to them. If I end up in a conversation I’m going to ask questions about them and let them talk.”

Sue’s heart was feeling lighter. As she was getting ready for the party, though, she began to slip back into her worry-mode. “What about this…. “What if I….”, etc.

Whoa! She stopped her thoughts. She mentally gathered those worries and fears in her arms, imagined herself looking into the tender and loving eyes of her Blessed Mother and laid those burdens at her feet.

“Please take care of them, my Mother!“

She threw on her wrap, said goodbye to her parents and walked the short way to the Social.

All through the evening she could feel herself wanting to hide or found herself slipping into self-condemning, intimidating thoughts. She would stop herself each time and leave them at Our Lady’s feet. It helped. It wasn’t easy or perfect, but she knew things were different this time.

And as the evening was coming to a close she actually had a small number of smiling friends form a bit of a circle around her.

Sue looked at her watch. It was late, she knew she had to get home. She finished helping the hostess cleanup.

She went to the closet to get her light wrap she had brought. All of a sudden, a hand reached up and took the wrap from her.

“Let me help you.“

She turned. It was Charles.

“Thank you.“. She said, her eyes sparkling.

As she dashed off into the night, the breeze playing through her hair, she looked up into the starry night and whispered another heartfelt “Thank you!”

Thought for the day…..

Father Irala from Achieving Peace of Heart:

No one who lives for himself alone lives as fully or produces as much as he who lives for others and does good for others.

When you are dominated by your unconscious mental activities, you lead a negative life which is colored by a sickly egoism.

You are always thinking of your own troubles and finding ways to lessen them. You can find no time to busy yourself with others or do any positive and progressive work. You see the enemy everywhere and are wholly taken up with fleeing from him.

Such a person lives, as Fosdick puts it, as if in a room lined with mirrors. Wherever he looks he sees himself.

But when he busies himself with others, several of these mirrors are changed into windows through which he can see other faces, other lives and other more pleasant landscapes.

“I have tried to show you , that you cannot become good and strong men and women, that is, men and women of character, unless you have Will-power, and further that you will be of little or no use to your country if you are weak-willed. It has been well said that ‘the only way to be a patriotic American is to do your best to become a perfect man.’ and a perfect man you will not be unless your Will is strong.”

This Maglet (magazine/booklet) is for you…dear young (and not-so-young), Catholic, Feminine Soul.

It is a compilation of traditional, valuable Catholic articles on the subjects that touch the hearts of serious-minded Catholic young ladies.

There are articles on courtship, purity, singleness, vocation, prayer, confession, friends, tea parties, obedience, etc.

This information is solid, written by orthodox Catholic writers (most of them gone to their eternal home) that cared about the proper formation of a young Catholic adult in a confused world.

Take this information to heart and your journey through adulthood will be filled with many blessings!

It is 40 pages, packed with information. See photo for Table of Contents. Available here.

The book is filled with wonderful advice on how to live a happy life…

Here is a complete guide to mature, responsible, even noble behavior in our complex modern society. Written in the 1930s by a wise Jesuit priest and steeped in the wisdom of the ages, these pages teach the timeless principles that have led countless souls to true success and lasting happiness….

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Hectic Days for Helen

18 Wednesday May 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in Attitude, by Leane Vdp, Motherhood

≈ 2 Comments

by Leane VanderPutten

The July day was sunny, the scent of petunias wafted in the air. The air was cooling off a bit and the breeze softly wafted through the branches of the trees. Summer was at its peak.

But Helen was not enjoying the breeze or the flowers.

Helen was tired. Not for any particular reason. Yes, it was summer, the kids were done with their home school and, instead of life slowing down, things seemed to have sped up.

June and July had been particularly hot, they didn’t have a pool, so the children spent time indoors during the heat of the day. Without the schedule of school, mayhem seemed to reign with more frequency than Helen liked.

Helen’s husband, Mark, was working lots of hours. Summer was the time his work became very demanding because he was in the construction field. So he was not around much to help out. And when he got home he was tired and even cranky at times.

“Such is life,” Helen sighed. Lately, things hadn’t been working out the way she had imagined. Instead of enjoying the so-called “lazy days of summer” she was fighting inner turmoil. She was struggling through the days, battling thoughts of self-pity and complaining.

“Why can’t the kids be quiet now on again?”

“Dirty diapers, dishes, it’s discouraging,” she thought. “And life is only going to get more and more hectic as the years go by. I just don’t know if I can do this!”

This day had been particularly trying so when rosary time came around, amid the slouching children and wriggling baby, she implored Our Lady to help her.

The next day Helen woke up with a terrific pain in her side that didn’t want to leave. It was debilitating so she had to call in a babysitter to take over.

That night was sleepless. The next day, after a doctor’s appointment, she started an antibiotic for a bladder infection.

The antibiotic didn’t work so another one was tried. That one alleviated some of the symptoms for a short while but they came back with a vengeance.

The next couple of weeks were harder than ever for Helen. The worst part was the worry. She didn’t know what this mysterious pain was and, since they didn’t have insurance, she wasn’t going to run in and have a bunch of tests done. At least not right away.

So she was stuck worrying. What happens if it was something really bad? She’d find herself looking at her kids and imagine leaving them to fend for themselves in a crazy world.

When her husband came home, her thoughts wandered to whether he would be left alone… If this was something that could actually take her life? She pushed a lot of those thoughts away but with her melancholic nature, they kept creeping back.

After a very bad night, finally, Helen went back to the doctor….this time a different doctor. He heard all the symptoms and told her that it sounded like she was just trying to pass a kidney stone.

This was news to Helen! She didn’t understand why the first doctor didn’t spot that?

Her step was a little lighter as she left the doctor’s office even though she still had pain. She got home and drank lots and lots of lemon water and took hydrangea tincture.

Within a few of days, she passed that kidney stone and was feeling much better!

The pain was gone, but the best part was that the worry was gone! With all the imaginings of her having a dread disease she had been tied up in knots!
Now that she knew things were OK, her heart filled with joy and thanksgiving!

The following days things began to get back to normal – hectic life came back full force.

But Helen’s heart had changed, indeed!

It still wasn’t easy to drag herself out of bed in the morning, but her heart was filled with thanksgiving because she could actually get up and take care of her children. Were the children any quieter? No. But she appreciated the laughter and the noise instead of always fighting against it. Did hubby come home earlier? No. But she was grateful that her husband had the work that he did and was not upset that he wasn’t around to help.

Her heart sang as she did the dishes.

She still got impatient, things weren’t flawless, but Helen was seeing things through different eyes.

She thought back on that evening when she implored Our Lady, during the rosary, to help her. She realized how much she had helped – maybe not in the way she had wanted or expected but it didn’t matter. She knew it was a gift right from her Mother‘s hands!

The summer days passed quickly. There were many joys in between the rough spots. Helen had learned a lesson. She hoped it would stick. She prayed it would stick.

Those weeks when things got rather dark for her taught her something special besides being grateful for the daily grind. She made up her mind that she would thank God for her crosses as she was going through them, knowing that He had the best possible plan in mind for her and that good would come from them.

It also came home to her that each new day was a gift. She would work hard at tuning her mind into that at the beginning of the day so that when the day ramped up she would have a spirit of gratefulness in spite of everything else.

As Helen sat outside in the early autumn breeze of the evening, amidst the floating aroma of the petunias, she thought to herself, “Indeed, it has been a very productive summer!”

Is it all about being right when we are having a disagreement? Do we need to be on the defensive each time we feel he is being unreasonable? That only seems fair, doesn’t it? Well, go ahead. But your relationship will suffer. It is more important, not that you “win” or that you always come out feeling like you gave the last verbal punch. Like Our Lord, we win through kindness and meekness.
What it comes down to is: Do you want to be RIGHT or do you want to be HAPPY? “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!” www.finerfem.com

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Father talks about how important our duties of our vocation are, that they are the will of God for us, we need look no further. He touches on the specific duties of each of our different walks of life….

A Little Lesson ~ Tammy’s Cloud

09 Monday May 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, FF Tidbits, Praying

≈ 7 Comments

by Leane VanderPutten

Tammy was feeling testy lately and she didn’t know why. She felt like this periodically and it was an uncomfortable sort of thing. Kind of like a cloud that had settled around her…a greyish one that made her uneasy…like all was not okay.

She was short with the kids and her husband, which made the cloud a little more dense. She felt like she was losing control and slipping…

Many things had her worried. Things like…

Why is Susie disobeying so much lately?

How can I get little George potty-trained?

Hubby seems so tired lately…I hope everything is all right.

I wish I wouldn’t have gained that 5 lbs.…

My prayer life needs help…

Why is the neighbor so grouchy with me these days?

And on and on.

This weekend a visiting priest was coming to give a women’s conference. Tammy wasn’t looking forward to it. She had this unpleasant feeling she would walk away from it feeling even more inadequate than ever.

No, she wasn’t praying enough.

Yes, her routine was often messed up…sometimes through her own fault.

No, she hadn’t been making it very often to daily Mass.

She felt she would be reminded of these many inadequacies that were weighing heavy upon her.

Tammy made it through the rest of the week, each day muddling through as the cloud of anxiety stuck with her. It was in the background, and, though Tammy managed to get the basics done each day… it was there, like a chronic itch that was especially annoying when one was being still.

Saturday came. Hubby had said he would watch the kids so Tammy could go to the conference. Tammy was off to Mass, doing her best to have a positive attitude about the talks.

As Tammy sat down in the hall, she noticed many other women coming to take part in the conferences. She wondered if they had it all together. They were smiling, talking and laughing. Tammy said hi to several of them as they were, of course, familiar faces, many of them were friends.

Father went to the podium and introduced himself and began his talk. Tammy fidgeted and tried to pull her thoughts away from the many chores that awaited her at home.

As Father proceeded in his talk, she started to take more notice.

“I’m here today to take that baseball bat that you keep hitting yourself with, out of your hand…”

Hmmm…she thought. That would probably be a good thing.

“We often rely on our own power, our own strength to overcome our faults and failings. We also rely on ourselves often to ‘fix things’ that are, a lot of times, out of our control,” he continued.

“And even if there IS something we should or should not be doing, the strength to carry this out and the wisdom to know what we should be doing evades us. We want answers but we don’t have them.

So, really, the solution to these daily problems is a continual crying out to God for help…for grace, for wisdom. It’s as simple as that…. a continual reaching out to Him Who wants to help in all the nitty gritty details of life.

But how do you do that, as busy wives, and mothers? You often hit the ground running as you struggle to get the day rolling with the multitude of needs that beg to be met.

In the morning, on arising, we can direct to the Most High through the Morning Offering, all the activity of the day.

This is most important, because as the hours and minutes roll by, the various actions rise in homage to God.”

Ok, I do that, thought Tammy. So at least I am starting out my day by doing the right thing.

The priest continued….

“From time to time throughout the day, think of raising our mind and heart to God. Each person has their own individual way of conversing with God. And this is good. God loves us and He made us each with a unique personality and way of expressing ourselves.

A continual conversation with Him throughout the day is very valuable! Like a best friend, and of course, He is the very best, take your cares, your joys, your struggles to Him throughout the day. Talk to Him.

It’s not difficult to do this…it is a matter of habit…of remembering to lift our hearts to Him often throughout the day.

How can we do this? Find ways that help you remember.

As you are getting dressed in the morning, talk familiarly with God. Imagine putting on the armor of God and ask Him to protect you from any evil that may come your way today, to protect you from negative thoughts, from getting discouraged. Ask Him to help you smile more, be more relaxed and peaceful about things….or whatever you wish to say to Him first thing in the morning.

When you have your morning tea or coffee, a quick prayer of gratefulness to Him who gave you this to enjoy is valuable.

As you are teaching school, pray for those children who are having problems…a quick prayer…and then for yourself, the teacher, the mother.

During the children’s nap time, send a quick prayer to the Holy Ghost that you use the time wisely. Then go about your business.

Ask for energy, temperance, kindness, etc. often during the day…”

Father went on about intimately conversing with God and with Our Lady because they are truly our best friends.

Then he concluded, “If it is one thing I am going to give you as homework from this conference, it is this:

Increase your conversation with God throughout the day.

That’s it.

Yes, say your regular prayers, try to say them better. But most importantly, talk to Him throughout the day about your fears, your frustrations, your loneliness, your joys, your gratefulness, etc.”

Tammy walked away that day with a lighter step. Father did not make her feel guilty…he just encouraged her to seek for a deeper relationship with God…not by spending more time in prayer but by learning to converse with Him throughout the day. She felt she could do that.

The next few days, Tammy talked to God, Our Lady, the saints and her Guardian Angel about a lot of things throughout the day… her neighbor’s grouchiness, (“St. Anne, please help my neighbor with whatever it is that is bothering her”) Susie’s disobedience (“Blessed Mother, help Susie, and help me to know what to do”), her bothersome weight gain (“Dear Lord, give me wisdom and temperance”), etc. Little prayers were being sent up all through the day as Tammy thought of it…

After a month or so, Tammy realized something…that cloud of anxiety had dissipated…it was gone!

The problems were still there, there would always be problems, but that cloud of anxiety Our Lord had taken care of. By her continual reaching out to Him, He had in turn, given her more peace in her days!

And it showed in her family life. Her husband made a comment to her that he noticed she was more at peace, more cheerful. This made him happier, too. The children seemed to get along better and, well, life in general, perked up! After all, if Mama’s not happy, her little world feels it!

Tammy was very grateful!

Never forget that it is God’s will that the parents should be the ones to teach the child to pray, as Mary and Joseph helped the boy Jesus to advance in wisdom and grace. -A Dominican Nun, 1954

We must realize that building back to traditional values starts, first, in ourselves and in our homes. Which, in turn, will affect our communities and society in general. And our dress is a powerful means to do just that! It IS like a billboard saying, “There is still something beautiful, noble and good in this world, and it is worth living for.”

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Losing your peace of soul over the state of the world and the Church? Don’t! Consider the following books…..

We live in an age characterized by agitation and lack of peace. This tendency manifests itself in our spiritual as well as our secular life. In our search for God and holiness, in our service to our neighbor, a kind of restlessness and anxiety take the place of the confidence and peace which ought to be ours. What must we do to overcome the moments of fear and distress which assail us? How can we learn to place all our confidence in God and abandon ourselves into his loving care? This is what is taught in this simple, yet profound little treatise on peace of heart. Taking concrete examples from our everyday life, the author invites us to respond in a Gospel fashion to the upsetting situations we must all confront. Since peace of heart is a pure gift of God, it is something we should seek, pursue and ask him for without cease. This book is here to help us in that pursuit.

Reverend Irala here addresses ways to promote mental and emotional well-being to help increase one’s health, efficiency and happiness. He speaks on topics such as how to rest, think, use the will, control feelings, train the sexual instinct, be happy, and choose an ideal. Included are also many practical instructions on dealing with mental struggles of all kinds. This book is most useful in our present times of worldly confusion.

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The Golden Nuggets of Suffering

30 Wednesday Mar 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Spiritual Tidbits

≈ 3 Comments

Lent …a good time to meditate on suffering. A Throwback:

by Leane VanderPutten

Lent makes us pause, gives us a chance to think of Our Lord’s suffering….a suffering we, as mere mortals, have a hard time wrapping our heads around.

I don’t pretend to understand the problem of human suffering. At times, it seems pointless, endless and utterly self-defeating…at times.

Those are the moments we are tempted to look up and say, “Ummmm….Dear Lord, are you SURE You know what You are doing here???”

But, good Catholics that we try to be, we resist the temptation to ask God what He is about, or why He does what He does….at least we try not to do it in accusing tones.

I believe God understands because, after all:

“Evil is a mystery, a scandal and it will always be so. It is necessary to do what one can to eliminate it, to relieve suffering, but it always remains present in our personal lives, as well as in the world.”

We are reassured that:

“Its place in the economy of redemption reveals the wisdom of God, which is not the wisdom of man; it always retains something incomprehensible. …. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8–9).” – Fr. Jacques Philippe

I have had two very strong examples in my life of suffering that was well borne.

I knew a couple…..a vibrant, lovely, cheerful young couple. They were always ready to lend a helping hand and they were loved by many.

They owned a business where they both worked hard. It was a business that brought people in from near and far….not only for their wares but, also, and maybe even most of all, for their magnetic and caring personalities.

One day, the husband had an accident that was to cause him pain and grief for the rest of his life. He had to sell his business and seek other employment. He had surgery after surgery to relieve the pain. Nothing seemed to work except stronger and stronger medications.

It got to the point where he could work no more and his sweet and lovely wife had to take a job. This particular man bore his pain and his unaccustomed weakness bravely. He hardly complained, he still held his hand out to those in need, and he was a pleasure to be around, joking and laughing, as always. You almost forgot what kind of anguish he bore within himself.

He handled his pain well but there was a problem…….He had. no. faith. He and his wife left the Church many years before the accident.

I would often think of this dear man with sadness. He had such a wealth of power at his fingertips! The people he could have influenced, the pain he could have relieved, the sufferings of others that he could have borne…..if he had only known to offer up his pain to Our Lord….Pain that is such a valuable treasure! More riches than the whole world did he have!! And yet the years went by and his suffering was lost…..lost….spiraling down into the abyss of nothingness.

Let me tell you about another man.

This gentleman’s name was Jim. Though Jim was a young man, the Legion of Mary first met him in a retirement home. He was a quadriplegic…..he couldn’t move any of his limbs.

When you walked into Jim’s room it was as if you were walking into a tomb. It was quiet….still…..dimly-lit. I remember the first time going to see him, I was taken aback at the somberness of it all.

But once you got on the side of Jim’s bed where he could see you, you got quite another picture! Jim was so much alive despite his paralyzed body. His eyes danced and his lips curved into a smile!

You see, Jim had been a Harley Davidson guy in his mobile years. His life was spent seeking pleasures and empty diversions. It was a life of unhappy dissipation.

One day Jim had an accident. The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Enter the Legion of Mary. Through many visits, Jim learned about the Catholic Faith and converted. He also learned about the value of suffering.

He learned that he had such a store of wealth that he could distribute among others who were hurting. He could offer it for his wife, who had left him after the accident. He could offer it for his two children, knowing that this would be his only influence and legacy he would leave them….a great legacy, indeed, though they may not know it in this life.

Jim became a dynamo of love. He was genuinely concerned for anyone who had hurts, who needed prayers. Many of us came to him with prayer requests, knowing that his prayers must be powerful with God! His wall was dotted with many photos of families that wanted him to pray for them…..and which he steadfastly did each day.

He told my friend, Mary Ann, the woman who was instrumental in converting Jim and who was his Godmother, that he was happier now than he had ever been in his former “walking” life. Imagine that! He was a living testimony of the Miracle of Faith!

Here is a picture of Jim with his Godparents, Mike and MaryAnn and their family. (The top girl on the left became my dear daughter-in-law.) Father Lontiev is posing with them.

Jim died about 4 years ago now. He had such a hard life….and yet he was a man of incredible faith and influenced many lives. One day, we will see the influence of this one man’s suffering on the world around him. It will be great, I have no doubt.

Each day, we too, have sufferings, inconveniences, disappointments and hurts. These are great opportunities and valuable prayers. We have the opportunity to hand these golden nuggets to Our Lord.

As women, wives and mothers we care so very much for our loved ones. We hurt when they hurt. Oftentimes we feel helpless.

We don’t need to feel helpless. Let’s take each nugget of suffering and, instead of kicking against the goad, give them to Our Lady, who, in turn, can polish them up, rid these nuggets of the dirt and grime of our self-love, and lay them at the feet of Our Lord as only His Mother can do.

One day, we will see the influence of our own suffering well-borne in our little worlds: Our son was steered back to the faith, our sister was given insight into her marital troubles, our uncle was now willing to take his meds for his mental illness, Grandma found help for her arthritis, Susie’s obstinacy is being resolved, etc. etc. All because YOU offered your sufferings each day to Our Lord in your Morning Offering and all through the day.

From Father Raoul Plus, S.J.: “Of the three apostolates: prayer, action, and suffering, the most efficacious is suffering.

…..Our duty is evident. The work of redemption is binding upon both the Master and the disciples. The manner of redemption chosen by the Master must be adopted by the disciple. To be a Christian is to be not only one redeemed but also a redeemer, not only one saved but a savior. What nonsense, then to refuse sacrifice!”

And, as Bishop Fulton Sheen once wrote “Pain, agony, disappointments, injustices-all these can be poured into a heavenly treasury from which the anemic, sinful, confused, ignorant souls may draw unto the healing of their wings.”

Remember that in God’s eyes, none of these sufferings are useless….they are nuggets….golden nuggets.

A good Catholic woman learns quickly that pain is part of love….They go hand in hand. Her life is spent spreading love and gathering crosses. And when God allows her sufferings she understands it is not to do her harm but to gather her into His arms. -Finer Femininity

Excellent sermon on what is your predominant fault & how you can find out what it is if you do not know & steps to battle against it. Also, Fr stresses the importance of getting your mind right prior to communion & especially the need to give thanksgiving receiving Our Lord…..

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To the modern mind, the concept of poverty is often confused with destitution. But destitution emphatically is not the Gospel ideal. A love-filled sharing frugality is the message, and Happy Are You Poor explains the meaning of this beatitude lived and taught by Jesus himself. But isn’t simplicity in lifestyle meant only for nuns and priests? Are not all of us to enjoy the goodness and beauties of our magnificent creation? Are parents to be frugal with the children they love so much?

The renowned spiritual writer Dubay gives surprising replies to these questions. He explains how material things are like extensions of our persons and thus of our love. If everyone lived this love there would be no destitution.

After presenting the richness of the Gospel message, more beautiful than any other world view, he explains how Gospel frugality is lived in each state of life.

“Reading this book was one of the
greatest graces of my life!”
St. Thérèse of Lisieux

In the late nineteenth century, Father Charles Arminjon, a priest from the mountains of southeastern France, assembled his flock in the town cathedral to preach a series of conferences to help them turn their thoughts away from this life’s mean material affairs—and toward the next life’s glorious spiritual reward. His wise and uncompromising words deepened in them the spirit of recollection that all Christians must have: the abiding conviction that heavenly aims, not temporal enthusiasms, must guide everything we think, say, and do.This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

NO THANKS! ~ Leane VanderPutten

14 Monday Mar 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, Catholic Home Life

≈ 18 Comments

I just turned 60. As most of you know, I have had eleven children and I have many grandchildren (40, including those yet to be born)!

I deserve a break, right?

I have things that happen in my household that can ruffle feathers…

Hubby has been home all winter due to a bad leg that we can’t seem to figure out. He is constantly coming up with “new ideas” that can cause some chagrin as he pursues his latest.

For instance, he has the beginnings of his mushrooms started….under the table in the corner in our living room!

He has rabbits in what was supposed to be his greenhouse off the side of the home that, when the wind is right, and the weather has warmed, sends an aroma through the house that is not pleasant….to say the least!

He butchers his meat and proceeds to clean them in the sink, leaving guts and giblets behind much to the horror of the girls at home!

His brother works here with him, and I am bombarded regularly each day with adult male interruptions that I am not used to!

And on the kids’ side…

I have had the ping pong table out in the kids playroom, which is a room that enjoins the rest of the house and that has to be trekked through to get to any other part of the home. The table takes up ALL the space in that room, but…you know…the ping-pong tournament is coming up and practicing must be done!

A couple of them have chronic health stuff that cause much frustration and can’t be figured out.

I still pick up after those who leave things around. And I cook dinner each night.

I do the laundry for all here at home, and although it has downsized, it is still no little feat. I will just get done my loads and look satisfyingly at the empty laundry area when my dear son decides to clean his room and dumps twice as much laundry as when I started…

On and on.

Do I wish for some peace and order?

Do I wish that when something is put away and cleaned up, that it stays that way? Do I not deserve that?

Well…yes to the first question.

I will find myself muttering under my breath about something that is irking me at the moment. “If only….”

I DO stop myself short, though. I try hard not to give in to those thoughts.

Do I really want a life free of untidiness, lack of order, noise, and everything that comes along with running a household? In other words…do I want a life free of….people??!!

NO THANKS!

Kids leaving messes, dirty clothes, leaving stuff on the stairs and never remembering to bring them up until someone almost kills themselves IS annoying.

Bickering, regularly wanting some kind of “party” (they remind me it is not a party…just a few friends over), interruptions, wanting to travel in nasty weather (I have 3 relatively new drivers in the family…and may I also mention…fearless!), etc.

Do I wish for peace?? Yes, but…

NO THANKS!

No….I don’t want peace at the price of giving up an active, noisy, “happening” household, full of imperfect people making their way through life, rubbing shoulders with one another.

These are the things that life is made up of. And they are all good.

Life is a journey and it is meant to travel together.

A lot of the people of the world strive to stay in their comfort zone…to do whatever they want and as little of what they don’t want. They tend to isolate, to immerse themselves in technology or anything else that tickles their fancy.

Do I want a life like that?

NO THANKS!

We who have the faith and who realize this is not our final “landing place”, know that this kind of self-isolating life does not lead to happiness.

We have all felt the satisfaction of something hard that we have accomplished, of enduring something painful, of getting out of our comfort zone, of…well…embracing our crosses. It is a blessing.

And the crosses don’t have to be huge to be valuable. Learning to embrace daily annoyances is a powerful way of doing God’s will…and therefore of achieving happiness.

And it is also a powerful prayer for those who need our help….the suffering of others can be alleviated by our own sacrifices. How wonderful is that?

Martyrdom by the little fires of hidden fidelities constantly adhered to, of tormenting temptations courageously and perseveringly repulsed, of the exact and loving fulfillment of duties toward God and neighbor, of prayer faithfully practiced despite disgust, aridity and the pressure of work–is it not a martyrdom? Who can estimate the value of its countless offerings which are not publicized but which cost . . . and which count!” -Christ in the Home, Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J.

And on the flip side of this…

All of the things I just mentioned above come with another side to it.

My hubby, with his butchering abilities is providing us with food. The mushrooms will be tasty and makes a good hobby for my husband while he is down and out.

He cares deeply for his family and nothing seems to daunt him. If his next new venture is hard to swallow, well….

Would I rather not have a husband??

NO THANKS!

His brother has helped us very much as my husband is somewhat handicapped at this time. I think we provide some comfort to him also. He has been a God-send.

My kids are amazing. For the bit of inconvenience they cause me with their messes, their problems, their bickering (which has gotten so much better!)…

They return to me many times over!

They see the needs around here…monetarily and otherwise. And if they are in a position to help, they will.

And even if they lacked in this area…it’s OK.

God has called us to raise families and to accept…nay, embrace….what goes along with that.

We must learn not to complain. Sure, if things need to be confronted, then do that.

But there will be so many things that are just plain annoyances and we need to accept that. And be good-natured about it. God loves a cheerful giver!

So next time we wish for a quieter, more orderly, less worrisome life, may our response be…

NO THANKS!

Every day you need to lift your husband up in prayer. Ask St. Joseph to help him to be a good husband and father. He needs you, who are his closest companion, to lift him up each day to our Heavenly Father. Ask Our Lord to protect him and to protect your marriage. What a wonderful gift a praying wife is! -Finer Femininity

Thank you, Juhmorri!

“A lovely way to incorporate prayer into your everyday life. I appreciate that this helps me journal my days as well as keep track of my prayers, show my gratitude, and express my love for God more and more. A great concept that is executed with grace and beauty.”

Thank you, Mom of Boy!

“I have been wanting this journal and now that I have some time off it is great to be able to write! It is so beautiful and Traditionally Catholic. Thank you!”

Our attitude changes our life…it’s that simple. Our good attitude greatly affects those that we love, making our homes a more cheerier and peaceful dwelling! To have this control…to be able to turn around our attitude is a tremendous thing to think about!

This Gratitude Journal is here to help you focus on the good, the beautiful, the praiseworthy. “For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever modest, whatsoever just, whatsoever holy, whatsoever lovely, whatsoever of good fame, if there be any virtue, if any praise of discipline, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8 – Douay Rheims).

Yes, we need to be thinking of these things throughout the day!

You will be disciplined, the next 30 days, to write positive, thankful thoughts down in this journal. You will be thinking about good memories, special moments, things and people you are grateful for, lovely and thought-provoking Catholic quotes, thoughts before bedtime, etc. Saying it, reading it, writing it, all helps to ingrain thankfulness into our hearts…and Our Lord so loves gratefulness! It makes us happier, too!

Available here.

Twelve sermons on key aspects of the Christian life given during Lent, 1622–fasting, how to resist temptation, the danger of losing one’s soul, living faith vs. dead or dying faith, Christian attitude toward death, proper conduct in illness, God\’s special providence toward those living a spiritual life, the hidden meanings of Our Lord’s Passion, eternal happiness, mutual charity, etc.

There are as many paths to holiness as there are saints in Heaven . . . but you cant follow them all. Yet there’s one thing every saint practices that you can imitate: the simple art of loving God, which the beloved St. Francis de Sales explains for you here.

Under his wise and gentle guidance, you’ll discover the secrets to growing holier through the simple things in life work, play, and rest. You’ll learn to avoid the distractions (even religious distractions) that trouble and weary your soul . . . and you’ll soon be able to focus your energy simply on loving God.

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“Called” & Responding~ Our Domestic Monastery

28 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by Leanevdp in by Leane Vdp, FF Tidbits, Womanhood

≈ 10 Comments

by Leane VanderPutten

Quotes from Called to Life by Fr. Jacques Philippe

We’ve heard the term before….Domestic Monastery. I understand the sentiment and I think it is a lovely term that is loaded with possibilities within the home. Personally, my home couldn’t be mistaken for a monastery at any given time.

Having a Domestic Monastery, to me, means we are working each day to get our priorities in order….doing God’s will within our homes.

What does that look like and what does it mean?

For everyone and every family it is different…and yet, we will have a common, underlying theme. We will, if we are faithful Catholics, be responding to His call, every day, that presents itself to us each moment that the day unfolds.

When we get up in the morning, we have an “agenda”. This is good, we need a foundation that we can circle back to as the day progresses, when we can fulfill these projects. That’s why I present to you my calendars, planners, etc. We have planned and we know what we wish to accomplish that day.

But we need to remember that, though our plans are important, we are “called” to live each moment as God presents it to us.

Let me give you an example. I go to my list, I have had it in the back of my mind and rather excited to start checking off those “To-Do’s”! As soon as I roll up my sleeves to get started, the baby who has just laid down for a nap, wakes up! Ahhhhh…there goes the schedule!

Now, I have two choices. Well, actually, I haven’t got a choice….I have to go tend to the baby. But I have two choices on how to react… I can kick against the goad, and do it resentfully or at least begrudgingly…OR…I can remember that each moment I am being called by God….to tend to what is presenting itself at the time.

“Every yes to God’s call, even in the least matter, brings an increase of life and strength and encouragement, for God gives himself to those who are open to His calls and confers ever more freedom upon them.” -Jacques Philippe, Called to Life

This doesn’t mean that I don’t plan my time and that I don’t have those lists and schedules…they are important. But always remember that in our Domestic Monastery, when that “bell” goes off we tend to whatever or whoever is ringing the bell.

Responding to these calls throughout the day (and we women have SO MANY), is God’s will for us and we will grow in strength, character and happiness as we learn to respond to them cheerfully.

“God’s call can concern important life choices and be a vocation in the classic sense (a vocation to the consecrated life, to marriage, to a particular mission in the Church or in society). Often, though, the calls we receive from God bear upon smaller, everyday things: an invitation to pardon, an act of confidence in a difficult situation, a service to render to someone, a moment of prayer… It is as important to detect these calls and consent to them, for, small as they may seem, they mark out the path that leads to a far richer and more abundant life than we would otherwise know.“

Women everywhere are looking for happiness. Often it is being pursued through the fulfillment of their own desires, their projects, their dreams. Plans and projects are not a negative, but they are not an end in itself. To get up each day and say, “I have so many things I need to accomplish today!” and to be disgruntled when these don’t come to fruition is not the way to happiness and fulfillment.

We may have our projects, our dreams…but there needs to be a willingness to lay all aside to answer God’s call in our everyday life, as it presents itself. THAT is fulfillment.

“There is, however, one condition. We must give up our own agendas and allow ourselves to be led by life, in happy events and difficult ones, while learning to recognize and accept the calls addressed to us day by day. ‘Call’ is the keyword.

The idea, simple but very meaningful, is absolutely fundamental to our temporal and spiritual plans. Human beings cannot attain fulfillment solely by carrying out their own projects. These projects are legitimate and necessary, and we must bring our intelligence and energy to bear on accomplishing them. But that’s not enough, and in the event of failure it can lead to disillusionment.

Another attitude, one in the end more decisive and fruitful, must accompany our initiating and carrying out of projects: that of listening to the calls, the discrete, mysterious invitations that come to us continuously throughout life. This attitude of listening and availability takes priority over even the projects themselves.

I believe we can be fulfilled as human beings only to the extent that we perceive and respond to the calls life addresses to us day in and day out: calls to change, grow, mature, enlarge our hearts and our horizons, and leave behind hardness of heart and narrow-mindedness in order to welcome reality in a larger and more confident manner.” -Fr. Jacques Philippe, Called to Life

So, as our day progresses in our “Domestic Monastery”, let us respond to those “bells”, grab hold of those multitude of opportunities that will present themselves knowing that, by embracing them, we will attain a happiness that far surpasses any “project”or “accomplishment” we have attained. We will be accomplishing God’s will in our lives…which is what we are here for and is the greatest happiness a person can attain.

“Dressing modestly/femininely is a gift to give those who look upon us and ourselves; it’s so nice and refreshing, gives so much beauty and niceness to the world – the world needs this to balance the ugliness and harshness that exists.” -The Wonderful World of Womanhood (Daughter, Jeanette’s, wedding)

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Great sermon…

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Salvation and spiritual perfection should not be sought haphazardly; a strategy is needed to win the battle for our souls.
The Spiritual Combat, first published in 1589, provides timeless guidance in spiritual discipline. St. Francis de Sales (1576-1622) read from it himself every day and recommended it to everyone under his direction.

Vigorous, realistic and full of keen insight into human nature, The Spiritual Combat consists of short chapters based on the maxim that in the spiritual life one must either “fight or die”. Fr. Scupoli shows the Christian how to combat his passions and vices, especially impurity and sloth, in order to arrive at victo

Rooted firmly in Scripture, these pages call on husbands to stop thinking of themselves simply as bosses and breadwinners. Rather, says author Clayton Barbeau, husbands should see themselves as co-creators with God, imitators of Christ’s love for His people, high priests in the domestic Church, teachers of their children, witnesses to society, providers of spiritual and material goods, and models of holiness.

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Finer Femininity

~ Joyful, Feminine, Catholic

Category Archives: by Leane Vdp

The School Bell is Ringing….Are You Ready?

A School Activity ~ DIY Colorful Pennant Border for Your Children!

The Pennants

Supplies needed:

I used light cardstock to print the pennants out.

The children color them….

After they are colored, they cut them out on the triangular outline….

Punch out the holes for the ribbon…

Insert the ribbon through the holes and tie it. I left about 1 – 2 inches between each pennant….

You can switch these pennants up according to the season or to your tastes.

Mix and match as you like to make an interesting, colorful and fun pennant. And now you have a lovely homemade border for your schoolroom! Enjoy!

Fathers…Husbands ~ A Time to Reflect

Practical Tips on Modesty

PRACTICAL TIPS:

CAMISOLES OR TANK TOPS

LIGHT, SEE THROUGH COMPLETE OVERLAYS:

BLOUSES

SLEEVES

LAYERING

OVERLAYS WITH BROOCH OR SHAWL PINS

DRESSES

SWIMSUITS

DRESSING MODESTLY IS COMFORTABLE…

Self-Conscious Sue and the Ice Cream Social

Thought for the day…..

Hectic Days for Helen

Sacred Heart Graceful Religious Pendant and Earring Set…Wire-Wrapped, Handcrafted. Get the necklace blessed and wear it as a sacramental!

A Little Lesson ~ Tammy’s Cloud

The Golden Nuggets of Suffering

Beautiful Vintaj Holy Family Brass Wire Wrapped Rosaries! Lovely, Durable… Each link is handmade and wrapped around itself to ensure quality.

NO THANKS! ~ Leane VanderPutten

“Called” & Responding~ Our Domestic Monastery

Doilies by Rosie!