1: Total Consecration

For anyone interested, the next cycle of preparation Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary starts today. This is inspired by St. Louis de Montfort’s classic True Devotion to Mary. You’ll find all the prayers and readings — for print or for audio download — at this awesome website. I purchased a $5 book with the prayers and readings in it (because otherwise, it will be all too easy for me to fail).

If you don’t make this cycle, there’s another one starting April 28, and quite a few others through the year. They’re set up so that the 33-day preparation time precedes a consecration day that is on a Marian feast or commemoration. (But, really, I’m botching that explanation. Go read the full scoop for yourself.)

As I told someone who emailed me recently, what do you have to lose?

2: Yakkin’ It Up

If you have any inclination, I’m talking about St. Joseph in “Mary in the Kitchen” on the latest Catholic Foodie, sharing a quote about Mary and rainbows in my “Mary Moment” on this week’s Catholic Moments, and admitting to my slacker mom tendencies (with a laugh) with Arwen and Lisa on the Faith & Family podcast this week.

3: Rosary Workout

The weather was getting nicer (I woke up to snow this morning…piles of it, along with bad roads), and I can feel myself longing to get outside. I dusted off my journal and thought wistfully of my Rosary Workout plans from the fall.

Though I love gadgets, I don’t have an e-reader. The e-book format of Rosary Workout just didn’t work for me, though the principles behind it did. (I raved, as you will recall.)

And then I heard that THE ROSARY WORKOUT IS A BOOK NOW. (Be warned: there is much rejoicing and yelling in glee right now.)

So…what are you waiting for? My copy is on its way to me, and I’m sure there will be more happy sounds from me.

4: An Unexpected Fast

Yesterday, my husband asked if he could take our Verizon MiFi with him for work. He was going to be on-site and it would make his work easier.

And so, yesterday, I had an unexpected internet fast. I could still tweet from my phone, and I had a few updates that went there, but it was a different day than it would have been otherwise.

Had I planned it, there would have been a different tone to it. Had my husband not requested to take the MiFi, I might have procrastinated. I couldn’t be online during the hours when I am most likely to, whether to respond to email or finish up a parish project or various things online.

Needless to say, the laundry is folded and put away. What I didn’t expect was my calm this morning.

I’m going to have to try this again.

5: Internet Connections for the Rural Folk

I have reasons to need a high-speed internet connection. We have had various Verizon products for a few years, starting with their air card and, most recently purchasing their MiFi.

In a word: ICK.

I know, rationally, that my connection speeds are faster than they were in the days of dial-up (which weren’t that long ago for us). But when I find myself at my mother-in-law’s, using her “light” cable connection, I can’t help but grumble to myself about how slllloooowwww and unreliable our speeds are. Right now, before 7 AM, things are fast as they’ll. But in a few hours, it will clog…and on the weekend? Well, good luck.

Any suggestions? Am I dreaming that there’s a better solution than the one we already have?

6: Holy Thursday

We’re getting our feet washed again on Thursday. Though it’s one of my favorite Masses of the year, I know there will be much swallowing of pride and much reflection on the stinkiness of my feet and much sniffling at the tenderness of the washing. I can feel the tears welling in my eyes at the thought of it.

Good thing my toddler will be with me for comic relief.

7: Prayer of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity

I’ve been trudging along in the Catechism, and I realize that this is going to take me years. (That’s OK. Nothing like a good hearty read, right?) This morning, as I was cozied up to it, I found this prayer and had to pause to write it down. It’s attributed to Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, and it was included in paragraph 260. Here it is:

O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me forget myself entirely so to establish myself in you, unmovable and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing be able to trouble my peace or make me leave you, O my unchanging God, but may each minute bring me more deeply into your mystery! Grant my soul peace. Make it your heaven, your beloved dwelling and the place of your rest. May I never abandon you there, but may I be there, whole and entire, completely vigilant in my faith, entirely adoring and wholly given over to your creative action.

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