HOW HE LOVES US!!

I think this blog can be a vessel for a good message every once in a while, but I'm no writer, so here goes: I've been wrong! I posted about my faith like an ember, and it has been lately, and I thought that God was ok with our relationship being like this; that sometimes HE must calm the fire of His love to teach me something (like a kind of spiritual dryness, I guess). But something happened this morning. I was reading James, which said this (or something like it) : draw near to Him and He will draw near to you... He is jealous for you. I realized that, though MY faith and love for Him in this last few weeks has been an ember, HIS NEVER STOPS BURNING LIKE A BLAZING FIRE!! Even if I am experiencing spiritual dryness, as for HIS end, it still burns passionately. He- the greatest lover- never stops desiring to love us with everything He is and has (which is everything). He is a gentlemen and will wait for us to ask Him. So this morning in prayer, I asked to desire Him more, to love Him more than an ember's worth. His response? I am jealous for you- your unique love, Kate, which can come from nobody but you, and I long for it. Here is my heart! It burns for you!

He does not simply mean for us to drink Him in like a little water fountain, like in first grade where we had 5 seconds to drink because others were waiting in line. His Grace (and mercy for that matter) are an OCEAN!! The next analogy: an ocean, not a glass of water. A blazing fire, not an ember. No matter what my heart resembles- a little ember or a small glass of water.

What came next was a song I was asked to play at a retreat. The video is a bit weird, but the words have brought me to tears this morning- He said (says) to me (to you): He loves like a hurricane, all I have to do is ask Him to come in and love me like this... Lord I ask you to remind me that your Sacred heart burns with passion, love, and sacrifice for me. Let this be what gives me the ability to love my husband, my children (born and unborn), and my friends like you! HOW HE LOVES US. I am not simply referring to the awesome act of love on the cross, but through that very act, in each day, in each moment, He loves! Feel free to use this prayer- we can make some pretty good ones when we're raw in front of Him. Play the video, and hear How how He loves us! Thanks be to God! "And I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me!" I also don't want to give Jacob's birthday post the shaft, so scroll down to see our sweet Jacob's birthday post!

Our Jacob Joseph is one!! I am typing and seeing the time... I was actually delivering at this moment last year. Boy, didn't you want to know that, didn't you want to picture that? I don't have stats for you, but is 25 pounds people! So here is the year in review! Birth: div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">

Little glowing embers

It has been a while, I know. A few people have asked me where I've been, so I will let you know what is going over here. There is a song that is speaking to the depths of me. The words are : "Faith is not a fire as much as it's a glow. A tiny burning ember in my weary soul. And it's not too much, it's just enough to give me hope. 'Cause love moves slow. Love moves slow." I have no pictures to show (Jacob will be one soon, so be looking for some then), and not much to tell you. First trimesters are not easy, and with three precious treasures (all full of energy and questions/babbling, I might add) coupled with the constant feeling of a hangover (don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about) have made this a time that God is giving me just what I need... and no more. I am grateful to have been forced (again) to learn to live one day at a time. David continues to be super husband and father- always eager to be present to our children. He is making a Crusillo retreat this weekend and I am glad that he will have a weekend among men AND that he will be ministered to, for once. He is doing Jujitsu with a friend, and it's seems to be a nice something extra for him. He is a gift, and something that has become obvious to me is that being David's wife is my FAVORITE thing about myself. Hands down! So blessed. John Paul continues to stumble through homeschooling... correction... John Paul's mommy continues to stumble through homeschooling. He counts to 100 and recognizes all the numbers as well... not kidding. He hates pencils, but humors me if I help him. We are discerning what is the best decision for next year. He is a young 4, but very coordinated in many respects. Therese is getting to be SO MUCH FUN TO BE AROUND. She sings, dances, reads, wakes up early and goes into the kitchen to put sugar into glass baking dishes. Oh you don't do that? She can no longer wear the hand-me-downs of her older friends/family because she is as big as them. She sings very well and is a fabulous big sister. Jacob is a hoot. T-E-M-P-E-R! He is almost sleeping through the night on a regular basis. He can do 8 to 5:30, but usually there is something else goin' on in the night that he feels he must share with us. He now only nurses 2 times a day which as helped with feeling sick (me, I mean). He will be one on Monday- not kidding. I will post much more on our Jacob Joseph then.

My call is love...

Today is the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux (of the child Jesus), a spiritual giant in our household and the namesake of our precious daughter. Hear her words. "Since my longing for martyrdom was so powerful and unsettling, I turned to the epistles of Saint Paul in hope of finally finding an answer... Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed: Oh Jesus, my love, at last I have found my calling: my call is to love." This morning our own sweet Therese greeted her Daddy with a rose in her hand (St Therese always pictured with roses) and said, "Daddy todath my feath day!"

Speaking of a call to love... David and I, after prayer and discernment of God's will for our family, and the after grieving the loss of a pregnancy in June are overjoyed to share our news: we are pregnant!