Miracle Moments

As I walked around the park early yesterday morning the bright and beautiful sun radiated through the clouds, beckoning me to look skyward...I watched in wonder as the pulsating hues of rose and blue and gold waves...spread out before my eyes...while the center disc merrily rotated in a circular dance. It was miraculously beautiful! Eventually I'd look away-smiling to myself at the wonder of God's generous gift...and then suddenly there it was again, pulsating right in front of me...As if urging me to watch again and again...And so I did and it was then that I knew this promised to be a special day...And it was-Thank you Lord! Later that afternoon unexpected kindness came a calling...Cradling my family in the loving warmth of my circle of prayer warriors. They delivered a generous surprise gift, wrapped in the bountiful Love which always flows from the heavens into their hearts and then straight into our home. They knew the boys and I had experienced a rough several days, wo

Our family received an early Christmas present...A seven page letter from my oldest son Johnny. He is living in a convent in Borgaro Italy, just five minutes from Turin...which is home to the Shroud of Turin. Johnny is learning Italian and landscaping and the fundamentals of a God centered life. Johnny is an excellent writer and he paints a beautiful picture of the day to day activities of his unique life behind the convent walls-which by the way-are lined with barbed wire. "Not to keep us in," he writes, "but to keep the outsiders from getting in. We are always free to leave." He is living with the Sisters of Charity, an order founded by a French nun, St. Jeanne Antide and with ten other young men. They are a mixed group-Dutch, Italian, Irish, Slovakian and American. He says they all get along pretty well and even though most of them speak English, he prefers speaking Italian. The house is called "Gioia" which means joy and there is a small grotto w

I woke up this week at 3:30a.m. and as I laid their thinking and praying...the thought suddenly occurred to me, "What was I thinking. What would possess me to agree to share the insanity of my sinfulness so openly in a public setting." Of course I wasn't thinking-about me. I was thinking about how I could respond to the call that God had put on my heart to help others who might be in as much pain as I had been in. Tomorrow, Friday December 10Th, I'll be telling the faithful about my fall into the darkness of addiction and explaining how God has redeemed me through the power of his unconditional Love. My testimony is part of an Advent Day of Renewal at St. Francis Xavier Church in Metairie La. It's a day of praise and worship, hope and renewal...A time to remember that the reason for the season is the birth of Jesus Christ who came to this earth to liberate us from the pervasive power of evil that is clearly keeping so many humans in bondage to sin. It's

High atop a hill in Hanceville Alabama, broken hearts are being healed and hope is being restored. Our Lady of Joyful Hope is a community of young men who are finding new freedom through a life of authentic truth. Once lost in the darkness of addiction they are now living in the light of Christ who is transforming them from the inside out...And their families, if they are open and willing, are being transformed right alongside them. Recently, I spent three days with this community, listening to the young men, their parents and to the foundress, Mother Elvira, who flew in from Italy for the anointing of the new community house and the celebration that followed. Mother Elvira's life story is on par with Mother Teresa. She is an Italian nun who heard the call from God to snatch souls from Satan by delivering young men and women from the demonic grip of addiction. She gave up everything familiar, walked straight into the wilderness and wound up becoming a living legacy for desperate fa

Advent is a time of preparation and reflection. An opportunity to really think about the coming of Christ into our lives. It is also a time for us to bring votive offerings to the altar...our hopes and dreams, our challenges and our fears. On Friday December 10TH you are invited to participate in an Advent Day of Renewal and Eucharistic Healing Service at St. Francis Xavier Church on Metairie Rd. Fr. Jose Lavastida, the rector at Notre Dame Seminary, will say Mass at 9:00a.m. and his homily will focus on the role of the Blessed Mother in our lives. I will be sharing my personal testimony of my miraculous deliverance from the demonic darkness of alcoholism into the light of Christ's healing Love. Catholic Theologian Judy Landrieu Klein will tell her husband's riveting near death experience and the illumination of his soul. The two of us will also share the amazing story of how God used our son's drug addictions to reunite us in a ministry aimed at healing women, famili

I have so much to be thankful for on this special day. It would take me all the way through tomorrow to write down how fully I appreciate the gifts in my life. We've been in the kitchen all morning, cooking like the expert chefs you see on TV. I don't take credit for any of the fancy footwork, because I'm so used to throwing things together in ten minutes, I forgot the deeply satisfying feeling of chopping, cutting and mixing natural ingredients. My God it smells amazing! Ben of course is designing this delectable feast. He knows his stuff and the stuffing we put together promises to be the best yet. Homemade cornbread and crawfish tails mixed into a seasoned array of oil and butter. We made our famous "pink stuff" which my mom used to whip up thanks to my aunt who gave her the recipe many moons ago. Cranberries, pineapple, pecans, cool whip, marshmallows and sugar-Wow! But it's the turkey that is so amazing. Ben rubbed it down with his personal mixture

My middle son Ben turned seventeen today...But honestly, it doesn't seem like he's that old. He's just such a wonderful kid that I have to think about the fact that he's a Junior in High School....It's the age that usually makes a mom cringe with worry...Yet with Ben...It's different. He's the quintessential middle child. Conscientious, dependable, smart, deeply sensitive-yet amazingly confident. Ben has faced more challenges than any child should have to deal with. Some pretty serious parental and family issues...and then anorexia. Somehow though, he's still a straight A student with a 4.4 average...He works after school, socializes with friends and is now the chef Du jour in our home. Ben can and does-cook up some of the most amazing dishes that come from his growing repertoire of recipes. In fact- he's such a good cook that now I'm a little intimidated! Imagine that! I can't imagine our home without Ben...He's the anchor that holds

I always have a lot to say, but I haven't been saying it lately in this blog. Instead I've been undergoing deep contemplative prayer and preparation-and that quite frankly, has zapped me. There's something about moving closer to God that draws me further away from my own thoughts and opinions. It's as though I need the distance to hear the Lord more clearly and more succinctly. It seems like the quieter I become, the more intensely I can hear his voice. For the past several weeks I have been participating in an Ignatian Prayer series for women, "Lord Teach Me to Pray." There are three twelve week programs and I am enrolled in the first one which is "Praying Christian Virtues." It's fascinating and really rewarding reading the daily scripture assignment, meditating and then journaling the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It's amazing how every single week, the assigned virtue has had a direct impact on my life. Christian faith, humility,

This was a wild day with some wild surprises. The best-was the beautiful rainbow that suddenly appeared across the sky as I drove to pick up my son from football practice. This massive arc of multicolored rays-quite unexpectedly- presented itself right in front of my eyes. A majestic sign from God announcing his presence and his promise. Earlier in the day, God had revealed his covenant with me through a surprise gift of affirmation. I knew my prayers had been answered when a huge door flung wide open...A door leading to a wonderful blessing. God never ceases to amaze me. He always has a way of letting me know at exactly the right time that yes-he is still in charge of my life...and things will happen at exactly the right time. His time and not a second sooner. So never stop trusting in the power of God and in his plan to fulfill the finest details of your life. Never underestimate his perfectly timed positioning of the stars and the planets and the people who make your world go r

There are some moments in a child's life that a mom always remembers. Defining moments that somehow illuminate the mystery of what it means to be a child of God. One of those moments happened recently. My 12 year old son Zachary received his school pin at a special morning Mass, along with all the other seventh graders from Christian Brothers School here in New Orleans. Zachary is part of a family tradition that began twelve years ago with his oldest brother Johnny, who paved the way for Mackie, who walked ahead of Ben, who passed the ball to Jacob, who exited just in time for Zachary to firm up the family legacy. For me, the pin Mass isn't just a tradition, it's a spiritual anointing. A sign that my sons belong to an extended family founded on the Catholic principles of faith in God and service to humankind. CBS is a fraternity of fellowship and fun, wisdom and understanding. The kind of school that massages the mind while inspiring the soul. For our family, it'

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." Abraham Lincoln Power is like perfume. Elusively enjoyable, yet cunningly self absorbing. If you abuse it by wearing too much, you begin to smell-bad. Wearing it sparingly gives you a winning aura that is very attractive. There's a delicate balance between drowning in too much perfume and just enough to send the sweet smell of success. The most powerful men and women I've admired, never abused their power...Probably because they never sought it. Their belief system, their faith and the example of their lives earned them a reputation for being some of the most highly respected people in the world. The unwavering sacrifice of their lives for the benefit of others-even in the face of great adversity-lifted them to a higher level of authority. Mother Teresa, lived among the poorest of the poor, on the streets of Calcutta, ministering to the most neglected human castawa

A chorus line of prayer moved through my home today. Mother's-meditating on the mysteries of the most Holy rosary. Heads were bowed, hearts were opened, while voices were chanting the rhythmic repetition of the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be to the Father. A cenacle of prayer devoted to remembering the greatest gift ever...The life of Jesus Christ. As we prayed the rosary, participating in the life of Mary whose focus was always on Jesus, my prayer partners answered the heavenly call to Pray, Pray,Pray. Unceasingly-individually, with our families and within our communities. We prayed today for special intentions and we opened ourselves up to the spirit of God which flowed through us, illuminating the power and the purpose of our lives. My friends gather each week at one home or another...And today it felt anointed...To gather at my home...Where the presence of God is poignant. We talked and we laughed and we ate and we drank (lemonade), thanks to our party planner Karen

My brother Robert has brought a lot of happiness into my life and into the lives of my children. In fact, he's been more than just a brother, he's been one of my best friends. He's the kind of guy who's always thinking about others...Sending surprise packages or gifts and calling just to make sure everyone's alright. Today is Robert's birthday and I am grateful to God for the gift of his life...and for the sacrifices he's made for this great nation of ours. You see Robert is among a few good men and women, called into Military service. He is a career officer in the United States Army Corps of engineers. For nearly thirty years my brother has served our country here and abroad, sacrificing his personal needs so that the rest of us can enjoy our lives...Free and clear of the threats that hold so many countries in bondage. It is so often a thankless job, because all too often, civilians don't have a clue of just how blessed they are to have dedicated

My beautiful child Zachary turns 12 today! He's the caboose, yet the driving force that keeps this house hopping! I marvel at this child. My surprise gift from God, just five months after I gave birth to my fourth son. I should have known there would never be a dull moment with him...Like the angel Gabriel who announced Christ's coming, Zachary proclaimed his presence in the same week that I buried my dad. As I bid farewell to one life, I welcomed the next. Both scenarios caught me off guard, surprised the heck out of me...and sent me to my knees in deep, reflective prayer. As my pregnancy progressed the doctor worried that Zack might have developmental issues...Heart or lung defects or maybe Downe Syndrome. So we prayed for health and wisdom, strength and acceptance. And when he came screaming into the world, there was no doubt that this awesome bundle of joy had fooled everyone. Zack is all boy-a football running back, with finely chiseled features and a heart of gold.

At my home-we have Crosses everywhere. In all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life. Large antique iron Crosses salvaged from the ruins of old European churches, Medjugorje Crosses, homemade Crosses, garden Crosses...You name it, we have it. I began collecting them long before it became vogue. Something about the cross, the crucifix-spoke to me...Something touched my heart and stirred my soul...So I began collecting them and putting them on display around my home-as symbols of my faith in Christ and my gratitude for his sacrifice. Tuesday is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross-or the triumph of the Cross...The most potent and universal symbol of the Christian faith. It is a day to remember our victory over death...through the sacrifice of the God who became man, then willingly suffered and died a very painful death-for the forgiveness of our sins. The Cross poignantly symbolizes the passion, crucifixion and resurrection. Our personal gift of redemption. Our hope for the w

My life as I know it-changed last weekend. I stepped into new shoes-which surprisingly-felt quite comfortable. Evangelization 2010 in Natchez Ms. proved to be one powerful platform...Preaching, praising and proclaiming the most pertinent message I know. Victory over death. I shared the podium with gifted evangelists...Near death survivor and Protestant Minister Howard Storm, For the Love of God Worldwide leader, John Rick Miller and Catholic Theologian Judy Landrieu Klein. As I soaked in the setting and shared my testimony-I marveled at the spiritual unity among such diverse messengers. "So God created the human race in his image...male and female he made them." Genesis 1:27 It was as though God himself had picked and merged together each unique person under the guiding hand of our earthly host, Hedy Boelte. As I spoke-the words flowed freely from one thought to the next and it felt as though I were being guided and directed by a gentle, persuasive force with a mission of

Many are called but few are chosen. I know that to be true. How many times have I heard the call but turned my back? How many times have I made the excuse and closed my heart? How many times have I refused to go the extra mile, because it required sacrifice? Every single time I heard the call yet ignored it-I lost out. Every time I took the plunge I received the most awesome gifts. I've shut myself out of some amazing graces by waffling and worrying about making the right decision. So now-I open my heart, follow the Holy Spirit and march forward so that I don't detour from God's plan for my life. With our busy lives it's so easy to talk ourselves out of the will of God because we're wrapped up in our human will. That attitude almost killed me. Sometimes it's just plain hard to tell which will is driving us...The one that is driving us into the ground or the one that is lifting us up to higher ground. It takes a disciplined prayer life-that one on one in

I had a beautiful birthday today...thanks to friends and family and the good Lord who saw fit to allow me to experience one more incredible year! My sons continue to surprise me with their caring generosity and their desire to show mom how much they Love me. We shared a wonderful meal out on the town tonight and they demanded that I accept only the best, knowing I'm willing to settle for less. I was especially grateful-to get all of them together at Sunday Mass...A challenging task the older they get. The aging or the passing of time doesn't bother me anymore...I feel better than ever because so many beautiful blessings continue to flow my way. So on this wonderful day-I am once again reminded that life is truly a gift and the ones we Love and who Love us-are the gifts that not only keep on giving but who give us the wisdom to know how truly Blessed we really are!

One of my old friends chose self preservation over our friendship. Her fear and her follies fed her insecurities and the underlying secrets that bound her in a living lie...So she betrayed me to save herself. I remember feeling devastated and destroyed at the cruelty of her actions. I fell limp and lost because I could not wrap my mind around her choices. My children were shattered because they had held her to a higher standard. At that moment in my life, as I prayed for guidance, I knew only one solution. I reached out to the one friend who never lets us down...My best friend, Jesus. I clung to him like a scared child clings to a parent. I threw myself into prayer and penance, worship and spiritual renewal. I read and I studied and I sought spiritual counsel...and slowly but surely my Lord delivered me from the pain and the poison of her actions. The Jesus I know has very clearly and succinctly told us how we are to relate to one another. He made no exceptions and he created no

The power of prayer is astonishing! It is perhaps the most intense weapon of mass transformation that I know of...Producing positively powerful results...When you least expect it. My close friends pray-a lot. Every day they fall to their knees at home, or in church, during adoration or in prayer circles. Every day they ask for miracle healings, mind altering attitudes and the inspired wisdom to walk the way of the Lord-even when their feet are moving in the opposite direction. I have one friend, when she reads this she'll smile, who is a prayer warrior. The kind of person whose humanity is so closely tied to her divinity that it would blow your mind. She's intensely faithful, genuinely sincere and always searching for the high road. Yes-she's teetered at the edge of the abyss, frolicked amid scorching flames...and narrowly missed the penetrating poison that is satan's secret weapon. Yet-she always seems to slip through his clutches and soar to safety-just in the ni

I believe in monthly confession. To a priest. I just do. I know some people go straight upstairs through their own private prayer...but not me. It's been my experience that when I have to take a personal inventory and then tell someone what I keep doing wrong, that I am more likely to change my bad habits...First out of embarrassment...then because I honestly want to be a better person. Plus there's the heavenly absolution from the blessed hands of a priest. Last month I admitted it's a little unnerving hearing myself continuing to repeat the same sins over and over again. Sins like pettiness or gossip, judgement or jaundiced attitudes. The priest, Fr. Joe Benson, an extremely gifted confessor smiled and assured me, "Actually, it's an act of humility to keep coming back and acknowledging the same sins." I'd never thought of it that way. In fact, in the not so distant past, I grew so accustomed to my mistakes that they became second nature...and all too eas

The house is too quiet. Zachary shipped off to football camp this morning and it feels like our home has been evacuated. Funny how one person shifts the entire dynamic...especially when that one person is the energizer bunny. At dinner tonight Jacob smiled, "It's quiet in here." He's silently happy because now he gets the full use of their game system-no sharing, no arguing, no "Mom it's my turn." Kids are pretty cut and dry...It's all about them. But even that will be short lived because Jacob leaves tomorrow to go to the beach with friends. That leaves Mac and Ben...since Johnny is already long gone...and of course-there's me...The glue that holds this crew together. I have to admit...When they're absent I miss them. Something seems uneven and the chemistry feels a little off. I think I'm at that stage in my life where I've learned to Love the crowd and the commotion and the comical way everyone fits together. Families really

These are troubling, deceptive times. Every day I hear from someone who is struggling with their personal demons. Those cunningly, baffling voices within that lead us into social, moral and spiritual depravity. There is only one solution. Turning to God. Allowing the voice of the divine to guide, to protect and to strengthen our spiritual resolve. Even then, our signals get mixed in the false assumption that we are hearing clearly...and that we are being lead by the Lord. Be vigilant, be prayerful and never accept anything less than the best that God has in store for you...No matter how humanly painful that may be. Sometimes we simply have to suffer a little sacrifice to receive the greatest rewards. Sometimes being human doesn't mean being weak, but being strong enough to last for the long haul so that we can rise to the occasion...Our rightful place in this life and in the next. It's all about unbridled faith, soulful stamina and clearly understanding that God has a d

My baby boy Zachary (don't tell him I said that) came to me a couple of weeks ago worried that he was out of shape. He leaves for football camp on the fifth and a summer of being a couch potato has taken its toll. "No problem!" I replied, I'll train you!" So every morning for the last two weeks he's been rolling out of bed at 6a.m. slipping on his tennis shoes and running with me in the park. I'm really not a runner-I'm a speed walker and not as speedy as I used to be. But for the first couple of days Zack was having a hard time keeping up with me. We would jog one lap and walk two..My eleven year old dynamo complained how hard it was, how sore his legs were and how much he disliked running. That was short lived--because now he's leaving me in the dust-which the other pedestrians are eager to point out! One morning Zack told me he needed ear phones so he could listen to music on his ipod. I told him he needed to leave his ipod at home with all

A massive heart attack killed Bernie Klein. The sweet mercy of God allowed him to return to life. His miraculous experience is now our gift. Bernie's wife Judy had been praying for two decades for her husband's conversion...She had been asking God to save his soul in hopes of saving their often toxic marriage. Her prayers were answered on the day he died in a New Orleans hospital. Through the illumination of his soul, Bernie saw his sins through the eyes of God...He saw the light, but he was pulled toward the menacing darkness, where he underwent a horrific demonic attack. While he was laying there-dead-Judy stood by his side praying for a miracle...Pleading for the intercession of the Blessed Mother to save her husband's life. Her prayers were answered as doctors revived Bernie and managed to keep him alive long enough for him to make amends to those he Loved. Several weeks later Bernie crossed over one last time. Judy, who is also a Catholic theologian, says her hus

Rick Miller John Rick Miller left his high profile, high paying job as a Corporate CEO- to work for God. That's right-as crazy as it may sound...Miller moved up the professional ladder to the top rung of the eternal payback and turned his time and talents over to the ultimate corporate authority, the CEO of the universe. His is the kind of conversion story that sounds a little weird or made up or just plain "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" crazy...But it's not. The proof of authenticity rests in the fruits of his actions. Or as Mother Angelica once said about her own inspired works, "...the test is not believing me; the test is that it happened! And how did it happen?" In Millers case it happened after his "massive conversion" which began in 1988 in Medjugorje. Miller felt a burning call to visit the apparition site and much to his surprise he received a vision of the Blessed Mother and Jesus...and he clearly heard a call to convert hi

Howard Storm died and to his shock...descended into Hell. He went from writhing in excruciating physical pain in a Paris hospital to the paralyzing fear of landing in the "sewer of the universe." A successful college professor, Storm had been living a comfortable life-without God. You see-he had become an atheist. A Godless man who believed in power and money and self preservation. He Loved the things of this world and rejected the possibility of an eternal life. He wasn't a bad person by all accounts, he was simply as selfish and self centered as so many of us are. So you can imagine his horror when he died and came face to face with the most heinous evil spirits...Demons sent to inflict unimaginable emotional and physical pain. Spirits that fed off of his agony because their only goal was to torment and destroy him-for eternity! I interviewed Storm for television on more than one occasion and I have to say, it is the one interview that I always share with people.

Another young man died here last week from a drug overdose. When I heard the story my heart sank in sadness...An 18 year old victimized by drugs-another family reeling with pain. It has been my experience that the drugs may have triggered this young man's death, but the dying began long before that fatal day. You see, no one decides to become an addict. No one revels in the possibility of killing themselves. That's just not any one's goal because that's not how God wired us. There are always facilitating circumstances that open the door to a deeply destructive and increasingly demonic darkness that all too often leads to death. In medical circles addiction is a brain disease. Once it has been kicked off in a person-there is no turning back. There is only one remedy-abstinence from drugs or alcohol...Refusing that first drink or drug. In spiritual circles there is the belief of a demonic dimension. Since drugs and alcohol impair judgment and lower defenses, they are wind

There is something sweetly satisfying about being led by God. There are no hidden agendas, false pretenses or uncomfortable feelings. There is only the serenity in knowing that the spirit is moving and the movement is transcending all the earthly anchors that have held us back. I have been feeling the spirit move in my life in ways that I could not have engineered nor would I have tried. In fact, when I moved into complete and total acceptance that God is guiding me...Good things began to happen...Great things have begun to unfold and goodness has wrapped itself around me. We sometimes grow weary of the journey, not fully understanding that our journey is the footprint that makes us who we are. Every time we take one step forward, we walk away from the past but we carry within our being, the gift of our experiences and the inspired knowledge. God is always with us, walking alongside us, carrying us when necessary, letting us go when we pull away. He never abandons us because he

I doused my two youngest sons tonight-with spiritual radiation. They needed cleaning up and calming down, so off went the TV and the video game and off to the Adoration Chapel we flew. It was so quiet and cool and deeply peaceful...I could have stayed all night! Sometimes that's my only solution to the less than soulful attitudes that begin to multiply mid way through the hot summer. Even the best of kids with the best intentions need a little down time, down on their knees. My kids often join me during the school year, reading or writing or studying-while I pray for the grace to make it through another day. I'm well aware that these visits are leaving an indelible imprint on their hearts-even when their minds may be wandering elsewhere. There's nothing more inspiring to me than watching a child in heartfelt prayer. It is one of those sensational signs that God is working within. A few weeks ago when my kids were cavity free at their check up with my friend Dr. Kri

My oldest son Johnny is heading into a new spiritual zone. Today he's flying to Saluzzo Italy for the "Festival of Life." Young people from around the world will be descending on the mountain town to celebrate the gift of their lives with Mother Elvira. She's the Catholic nun who God anointed to care for young men and women who have descended into darkness and despondency and all too often into the diabolical disease of addiction. As we spoke with Johnny today by telephone he sounded anxious but very excited about his new assignment...He's always Loved the adventure of new lands and unfamiliar territory...But on this trip he will carry with him a familiar, firmly rooted foundation of prayer, brotherhood and Eucharistic celebration. Johnny spent one year in the community of Our Lady of Hope in St. Augustine Florida and believe me, that was no small feat. Living for 365 days on one piece of land without television, computers or cell phones took a great deal o

My beautiful child Jacob today turned into a TEEN. Hard to imagine that this sweet spirited child can no longer be classified as my little boy. Of course as his mom I still refer to him and his younger brother as the babies-much to their embarrassment. Moms get special permission to hang on to the past a little longer than most. Jacob rose early-6:00am, kissed me good morning before rushing to open his cards from his Aunts and Uncle. He was so excited-just like at Christmas. Jacob doesn't expect much and so it doesn't take much to please him. While everyone else slept he and I went jogging around the park then to BK for a rare morning treat. He can pack away more food than most older kids I know. There's something about my fourth child. Something special and spiritual...something saintly and inspirational. He's good as gold and deeply connected to the wisdom that has been infused into his soul. I've never seen a child so interested in the heavens who is also so

It's raining hard outside and I am grateful. The dark skies and pouring rain are shielding us from the heat of the summer sun. It's funny. People here in Lousiana couldn't wait for the warmer weather and now they're clamoring for cooler temps. The yin and the yang of the weather world. It's an amazing set up-the way God constructed everything. Mind blowing in fact-but I like it. Despite the rain, we braved the great outdoors, heading for clear skies fifty miles outside New Orleans to the Blue Bayou. Sounds like a Linda Ronstadt song...Actually it's not even the "oil" infested marshlands...It's the waterslide park. Every summer we make the trek to the delightfully wet and wild mountain slides that turn and swirl and scare the living daylights out of you. Or maybe just me. My boys are thrilled with the rides...I'm just thrilled when they're over. Grammy sat sensibly on the sidelines while cousin George, my friend Terri and her girls an

It's funny how some people's birth dates match their personalities. My friend Hedy exploded into the world on this day many moons ago-Independence weekend...and I can assure you she is a fire cracker of a lady. Some people are born to fit in, she's born to stand out and take center stage wherever she roams. The matriarch of her family, she has skillfully maneauvered her way through one husband, five children, several households, sickness, health, hurricanes and lots of stormy weather...on the wings of faith and a whole lot of Prayer. That's what I like about her. She prays-a lot. Rosaries and adoration, Mass and meditation...She moves many mountains because she gets her marching orders from God, surrenders in trust and then hits the ground running. Beautiful and sultry, this Colombian lady shares the sanctifying grace of God by hosting evangelization conferences that have touched and inspired countless lives. With her "yes" to God, she has given witness to

She's docile but determined. Aggressive yet angelic. Resolutely relentless in her quest to guide her children. Our Lady Queen of Peace is no wallflower, silently praying in the background for the conversion of her children. Every single day she is speaking up...Telling us what we need to do to live Holy lives...Guiding millions to her son so that he can move mountains in their lives. For the past 29 years the Blessed Mother has been appearing in Medjugorje daily...That's 365 days a year for nearly three decades. To me that signals something serious. In fact, it is the longest running apparition that I know of in the history of humankind. Mary doesn't seem to care how old we are or how many times she has had to repeat herself, or whether or not we think she's old fashioned...She consistantly, persistantly plays out the role of a caring, wisdom inspired mom who refuses to sit back and watch us fall deeper and deeper into sinful oblivion. The Blessed Mother in Medj

The Louisiana Legislature is turning to God. 61 days into the worst natural disaster in history and lawmakers have declared today, June 20 a day of prayer to ask for Divine intervention. Two months of trying human technology has failed to cap the leak, or contain the oil, or stop the huge concentration of methane gas from being released...So today, our elected officials passed a resolution calling for prayer in whatever form citizens feel comfortable. Sometimes when we are too big for our britches, when we think we are so smart that we have all the answers, when our human sinfulness has blocked us from seeing the answer to our problems...Sometimes someone comes along and offers the one solution that everyone has somehow overlooked. Prayer. You see prayer can move mountains. It can also clean up this mess in the Gulf. Calling on God, who by the way, created the universe and seems to have not only the brains but the brawn, seems like the natural solution. During one of the Blessed Mot

I participated in a miracle this past week. I simply said yes and God did the rest. My soul sister, Judy, and I traveled to 'Our Lady of Hope' in St. Augustine Fl. with precious cargo...Explosive precious cargo, but precious nonetheless. Her son Christian, agreed to visit the community for a three day orientation...To test the waters for his possible entry into their three year program for the recovery of body, mind and soul. Just shy of 20, Christian has been addicted to drugs for several years...From drinking to marijuana, from pills to sniffing heroine, from smoking crack cocaine to standing at death's door. It sounds so surreal just thinking about it. This beautiful young man, who is so dearly Loved, losing his soul and his life to the seductive lure of illegal drugs. It's not what anyone hopes for-for their children. We drove nine hours, through driving rainstorms, through the withdrawal minefields and the ever increasing anticipation that our mission was no

As I opened the shower door, I noticed someone had drawn a bold, two dimensional cross in the condensation on the glass. I've narrowed it down to my two youngest sons, Jake and Zack...who seem to feel right at home in my shower. I figure they were leaving me a calling card, or perhaps a gift since they know that I Love crosses. Over the years they've drawn me any number of versions from their perspective...but this is the first time they've used the shower door as their canvas. I think it's pretty cool...especially since what we draw tells us a lot about our mindset...and what we are mindful of. Remember the scribble scratch we scrawled all over our papers as we sat through another "boring" lecture in school? Here's a tip. If you want to know what your kids are thinking, scan their old school books and folders. At the end of every school year I clean out my kids school bags and weed through the books and papers to make sure we're not throwing away

It's so nice hearing the laughter. My two youngest sons are taking a jacuzzi bubble bath in my rarely used tub...and their joy is infectious. Of course-at first the guys thought that at the ripe old ages of 11 and 12 they were much too old to enjoy the bubbles together. But as I explained, the tub is really just an indoor jacuzzi-so throw caution to the wind! Their brother Ben is bagging groceries at the local supermarket...His first real job since turning sixteen. As a teen I was one of the first female baggers at the commissary on Macdill Air Force base in Tampa Florida. In those days we worked for tips, filling the bags and pushing the grocery carts, two at a time, outside before loading up the car. Mac is delivering chicken wings for a local restaurant. The other day he delivered himself head first into the pavement. As I doctored up his bleeding knees I delivered another lecture on the merits of wearing a helmet. Every one's growing up and growing into themselves, j

My oldest son Johnny turned 25 this month. It's amazing thinking about it. What a blessing! Since he's living in the community of "Our Lady of Hope" in St Augustine Florida, we were unable to speak to him to wish him a Happy Birthday. However, his brothers and I were permitted to send him letters to let him know just how much we Love him. I know that probably sounds like an odd way to communicate in this technological age, but actually it's not. This is Johnny's time, not ours. Time to heal, time to rebuild himself on solid ground and time to discover the path which God had laid out for him, long before his birth. As his mom it is also my time...to surrender and to trust. Time to surrender him totally to God's Loving embrace and time to trust that he is exactly where he needs to be. Johnny could have been anywhere on his birthday and yet, he chose to stay in this community where he has lived for one full year. He chose to continue living among the other yo

I had to laugh. The kids and I were waiting on Pete, the air conditioning man, and so we decided to exit the hot house in exchange for some spiritual radiation...at the Blessed Sacrament chapel. As I waited on them in the car, here comes Jacob, in his multi colored Nike tennis shoes, with one sock pulled half way up his leg and on the other foot a barely visible ankle sock. "I was in a rush," he said as he pushed the long sock down to try and match his other sock. It didn't quite work. Kids are so funny, and so unaffected. Even by the heat. They've been real troopers, opening the windows and doors to let the cooler air in. Thank God Uncle Robert sent Ben a fancy outdoor grill this week....which has kept the cooking heat right where it belongs-outside. I Love Mr. Pete. He's an old fashioned fixer upper who is as honest as he is talented. With a few twists of the wires, a cool breeze blew through our home cooling off all our moods. Yesterday was fix it day.

'In the beginning, God created Heaven and Earth' Genesis Chapter one As I think about that statement, it is divinely appropriate that God received heavenly honor many moons ago, when two American astronauts first set foot on the Moon. My friend and cub reporter, Karen, sent me an article detailing the faithful gratitude of Buzz Aldrin, who along with Neil Armstrong, made history forty years ago by walking on the moon. Aldrin, an elder in his Presbyterian church, marked the moment by consuming a consecrated communion host and wine. Imagine, the significance of his foresight. Aldrin is about to launch into space, travel 250 thousand miles from earth...and he plans ahead to honor God by taking communion on the moon! That's pretty powerful! Aldrin apparently detailed his decision in an article he wrote in Guideposts magazine. Aldrin and Armstrong had been on the lunar surface a few minutes when he made the following public statement over the live radio broadcast, "T

It has been reported, that Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, experienced the "Dark Night of the Soul" from 1948 almost up until her death, in 1997. A close friend, Father Benedict Groeschel, apparently claims there were only brief interludes of relief and that the "darkness" left near the end of her life. St. John of the Cross, a 16th century mystic and Spanish Carmelite priest, endured the "darkness" some 45 years. He wrote a poem: La noche oscura del alma, The Dark Night of the Soul, which follows the souls detachment from the world, to its union with God. St. Terese of Liseux, the beloved 19Th century French Carmelite, went through a similar experience. Struggling with doubts about the afterlife she reportedly told her fellow nuns, "If you only knew what darkness I am plunged into." The dark night of the soul is a spiritual crisis on the journey toward God. It is a feeling of intense loneliness and desolation, even in the face of extrem