Not-quite-holy families #ThreeShots☕️📚😇
Paper dolls, a great recent read, and St. Teresa of the Andes
Easter greetings, my friends! I got my hands dirty in between basketball tournaments this weekend, and there is nothing quite like dirt under my fingernails and scrapes all over my arms to have me feeling like SPRING IS HERE. Here’s hoping you had some sunshine and smiles, too!
1. Remember paper dolls?
I happened upon this cool image of today’s saint, and that sent me down a rabbit hole.
I used to have TONS of paper dolls, and I had hours of fun. My favorite was, without a doubt, my Princess Diana paper doll (Golden Book, circa 1985), though I had plenty of others. (I wonder if those are still around here somewhere…I think, in fact, one of my girls found them and played with them once upon a time…)
As it happens, paper crafting and paper dolls are a thing among those who are so inclined. The idea of cutting out a printable intimidates me. But you can find saints! And historical people! And all sorts of things!
2. From one not-so-holy family to another
Confession: I wouldn’t have read this book if I hadn’t been specifically asked by someone I really respect (in this case, the author).
Our Not-Quite-Holy Family: A Practical Guide for Catholic Parents is a parenting book. Which is NOT my favorite genre. (I’ve read my fair share. There’s value in that.) But from the introduction, Mark and Melanie captured me…I started it one night and finished it the next (I have long wait times while my girls are at their spring basketball practices to thank for that).
I laughed out loud repeatedly, sometimes so hard that I had to stop reading. And then, the girl in the car with me had to listen to the section as I read it out loud. (Horror!) (They were less amused than I was.)
For example, this gem was in Chapter 4:
It was a fun read, and it felt like straight talk from friends, as opposed to advice shoved at me from perfect people.
I file this under “books I read because someone I know asked me to and wow, it’s so good that I’m glad I read it.” 🙌 What Mark & Melanie Hart have done his create a gem that is NOT:
a book to shame you for what you are or are not doing
an exhausting how-to
filled with holier-than-you-can-imagine examples of their perfect life
As I traveled through the 7 chapters and 2 appendices (one of which has a collection of other real-life parents sharing stories and encouragement), I just knew: Melanie Hart is the kind of friend we all need. The one who speaks the hard truth, but with a smile and in a way that motivates you and gives you hope that you can attain the goal.
And Mark is the husband of that friend, the one who makes you pretty sure that yeah, they can come into my messy house and they won’t see anything that’s new or strange.
Mark and Melanie have years of wisdom and experience, but even more powerfully, they have a love of God and respect for the Church that shines through and puts perspective into everything they offer.
Highly, highly recommended.
3. Saint of the Day: St. Teresa of the Andes
St. Teresa of the Andes lived from 1900-1920 and was born Juana Fernandez to an upper-class family in Chile. She was inspired by the autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, so it’s no surprise that she joined the Carmelites at age 19 and took the name Teresa.
She had a letter-writing apostolate, which I think more of us could use. In fact, I think I’m going to write a letter to someone today, because how fun is that? You can read her writings here.
St. Teresa died at 20 of typhus and she was Chile’s first saint. She’s the patron of sick people and young people, though I’m adopting her as the patron of the cards and notes I love to send people.
Prayer for today by St. Teresa of the Andes: Only God can satisfy us. He is truth and unchangeable good. He is eternal love. Oh, my Jesus and my Mother, may I belong to Him forever. May nothing on earth claim my attention but the tabernacle. Preserve me pure for Yourself so that when I die I can say: how happy I am now that at last I can lose myself in the infinite Ocean of the Heart of Jesus, my adored Spouse. 🙏
Make it a fabulous day! ☕️
Blessings and coffee,
Sarah