Norma McCulliss (Sally Bedrosian, illustrator)

This whimsical children’s book is just the size for small hands, and the fact that it includes plenty of pictures of flowers made it an instant hit with my two girls. Siblings Anna and Joe learn about honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. Though the focus is on May – and here in Ohio, at this point in November, May feels a long time away – I can’t help but love this little book.

This time of year, we picture Mary in a manger scene. I like her with flowers, though, and can’t help but recommend this book, unlikely though it seems for this time of year, for your gift-giving consideration.

Mondays With Mary A Celebration of Marian Feasts Throughout the Year
Meredith Henning

Aside from the fact that I love the alliterative title of this book, I can’t recommend it highly enough. This book is a treasury of ideas and resources. Whether you want to try to hold a weekly “Monday with Mary” as Henning suggests, or you want to learn more about Mary and use selected ideas, you’re sure to find recipes, prayers, crafts, and thoughts that will inspire your family’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Going through the year with the Blessed Mother is a practice we can all benefit from. This book is written for families with children, and it’s a book I see getting dog-eared and much-used with my own family!

Full of Grace: Encountering Mary in Faith, Art, and Life
Judith Dupré

The chance to review this book was a blessing of enormous proportions for me. It looked, at first, like a coffee table sort of book (which it could be, in fact), not the sort of thing I would normally pick up at all. I’m not so much a reader of coffee table books, though having read this one, I am going to have to rethink that bias.

Dupré combines extensive research with amazing photography and personal essays. Throughout the 59 chapters that make up the book – like beads on a rosary, she tells us in the introduction – we gain an insight into Mary as a person approachable and loveable. We learn about Mary throughout history and about various devotions.

What I loved the most about this book, though, was the way Dupré shares her closeness with Mary. She makes Mary relatable, removing her from the cold icon status and giving her breath and meaning through her writing. It’s not breath and meaning Mama Mary didn’t already have, but as a reader, I appreciated the weaving of historical intricacies and tangible experiences.

My advice? Buy a copy of this for yourself and for everyone you love. It’s a book worth owning and rereading.

Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

Originally published on CatholicMom.com on November 27, 2009.

It’s not easy to admit, here in this highly Catholic space, to people who may or may not “really” know me, that just the other day, the phrase “I hate Christmas!” came out of my mouth.

It was by way of explanation to a dear sister-in-law who was waxing romantic about my piles of wrapping paper, wrapping paper that I should have put somewhere else, but which I just never have.  She was smiling and starting to feel warm and fuzzy when something compelled me to say it.

I knew I shouldn’t have said it about two seconds after it was out of my mouth.  We were starting to have a “moment,” one that could become a memory, and I stepped on it and squashed it.

As I’ve thought about it, and wondered if apologizing for it would even make a difference, I’ve realized something about myself.

I don’t hate Christmas.

I hate the Christmas-izing of Advent.

Without the cushion of Advent, Christmas becomes one long to-do list for me.  There are gifts to buy, decorations to put up, greetings to send.  The house needs cleaned (to make room for the extra stuff), the kids need primed (that it’s not just about gifts), the dog needs trained (not to eat the extra stuff).

Either I have lost sight of what Christmas really is or I have neglected to properly appreciate Advent.

This year, I’m ringing in Advent with a different approach.  My Christmas shopping will be done, in part because of a stringent savings plan that meant I had to be frugal in ways I’ve never had to before.  My decorating will wait until Sunday before Christmas, when some close friends come over, with all their innocent love of the season, to insert joy and a new tradition into the decking of our old farmhouse.

But, most importantly, I’ll continue a practice I started last year, one of finding the silence of the season.  In the midst of the noise all around me – from the carols blaring everywhere to the communications swirling around my mailbox – I’m going to do something – give something up or do something extra, I don’t know – that will prepare my heart for my Savior.  Call it a gift for the Birthday Boy, one that will seep into every part of my life and leave me embracing Christmas with nothing short of love.

Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

Originally published on CatholicMom.com on February 24, 2009.

It was a day preceded by a rough night. The kids tag-teamed and seemed to sleep in shifts so that I never quite got fully asleep before someone small was demanding my awake attention.

Maybe it was thanks to my guardian angel that I got any continuous sleep at all.  “Angel dear?!?!” I pleaded. “HELP!  I just need TWO HOURS.  Please help me!”  (I got two-and-a-half, and I needed every minute!)

All the same, I was running close to empty in the morning when Miss Muffet started pushing back with all of her newly-discovered three-year-old will.  She pushed all the right buttons – and how well she did it! – and it’s by the grace of God and possibly HER guardian angel that I didn’t just strangle her.

Instead I planted my feet and screamed.

From my very depths, I let it rip.  All my frustrations poured out.

And then I was a little better.

But there was a mess on my hands.  Both girls had paused during Mommy’s eruption but quickly found their own voices.  The oldest took off running upstairs.  I picked up the baby and went to the inner sanctum – the bathroom – closed the door, and started praying to clear the red.

What follows is my prayer (and perhaps the prayer of every mother who has had this sort of morning).  Amazingly, I walked out of the bathroom feeling better…letting God carry the burden that I just couldn’t.

Our Father…

HELLO???  ARE YOU LISTENING?

…Who art in Heaven…

IS THAT CLOSE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO HEAR ME?

…Hallowed be Thy name…

DO YOU EVEN CARE?

…Thy kingdom come…

WHY NOT NOW?  YOUR KINGDOM CAN COME *NOW*!

…Thy will be done…

WAIT A MINUTE.  *THY* WILL?  JUST WHAT IS *THY* WILL?

…On Earth as it is in Heaven…

DOES THAT INCLUDE THE FUSSY KIDS, THE MESSY HOUSE, THE FRAZZLED WIFE, THE FLAMING INBOX, THE WORK CONCERNS, THE…THE…THE…?

…Give us this day our daily bread…

WITH THE DAY I’VE HAD, FATHER, I DON’T NEED MORE THAN ONE AT A TIME.

…And forgive us our trespasses…

IN THE MIDST OF MY TURMOIL TODAY, LORD, I’M PRETTY SURE THERE WAS SOME SINNING.  AND THEN MORE SINNING.

…As we forgive those who trespass against us…

WAIT A MINUTE (AGAIN).  *FORGIVE*?  AS IN “THAT’S OK, NO HARM DONE”?  EVEN WHEN THERE *WAS* SOME HARM DONE?  EVEN WHEN I AM NOT SO OK WITH IT?  EVEN WHEN MY HAIR’S ON FIRE AND I CAN’T TURN TO ANYONE ELSE BUT YOU?  EVEN WHEN…EVEN WHEN…EVEN WHEN…?

…And lead us not into temptation…

YEAH, CUZ WE’RE FULL.  I’M JUST SAYIN.

…But deliver us from evil…

INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE KIDS, THE DOG, THE LAUNDRY, THE HOUSEWORK, THE JOB, THE PEOPLE WHO IRRITATE ME, THE HOUSE, THE YARD, THE WEEDS, THE ENDLESS TO-DO, THE BAD HAIR DAYS, THE LOW SELF-ESTEEM DAYS, THE A.D.D. DAYS, THE EXHAUSTION, THE WHINING, THE SCREAMING, THE RAINING ON DAYS WHEN THERE’S LAUNDRY OUT, THE…THE…THE…

…For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.*

Amen.

THANKS.  I NEEDED THAT.  AMEN!

*I wasn’t raised Catholic, so when I say the Our Father, I STILL often forget to leave this line off.  But there’s nothing wrong with saying it (unless, of course, you’re at Mass, and the whole place is quiet, and you’re trucking along at the top of your voice the one thing you recognize…but that’s not WRONG, it’s just a mite bit embarrassing…and yes, I speak from some experience.).

Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

We were total strangers. He was doing some work in the building and found himself drawn in by the large crucifix above my desk.

The reason that particular crucifix was hanging above my desk was because of my own attraction to it. Jesus seems so gentle in it. There’s something in the way his head is draped to the side, in the settling of his body, and in the blood dripping out of the pierce in his side that reminds me of how much I am loved and of what love really means.

My confessor has given me the penance, quite a few times, of praying before a crucifix. When he first assigned it to me, I was a little unsure. How was that supposed to work? Would I just look at it and apologize? What would I say?

I waited until I was at church, during my hour of Eucharistic Adoration, by myself. Looking up to the crucifix above the altar, I found, suddenly, that I didn’t need words. There was emotion welling up in me, and I knew, somehow, that he understood. He seemed to nod, to pull me into his embrace, to caress me with his wounded hands.

As we approach Advent and then, joyously, Christmas, I find myself looking at that crucifix with new eyes. Was he really once a baby? Did his mother really stand beneath him and watch him die? What were the moments between – and after – like?

My prayer, this Advent season, is that I continue to be drawn to the crucifix and experience the grace of the love I see stretching out to me from it.

Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

Death Panels: A Novel of Life, Liberty and Faith

Reviewed by Sarah Reinhard

Brace yourself before you pick this book up. It’s not light reading, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to already recommending it to everyone I know.

Death Panels builds a world that my children could live in, a world that’s not so far from possible. It takes the most dangerous and difficult issues of our time to a viable conclusion, one that’s painful and horrifying.

And yet, Death Panels cannot be compared to other apocryphal works, because it doesn’t give up on human life, but rather shows that, in the midst of the darkest hour I could imagine for my children’s future, there is hope.

Buckman’s story leaves the reader wounded and motivated, changed and even renewed. It causes us to look at ourselves and consider just what we’re doing to stop – or continue – the dangerous trends of our time.

Here’s a book that turns our times, our cultural ideals, our basic assumptions, on their collective head. Here’s a book that exposes politics for the wrangling it is and points to another way. Here’s a look at what religious suppression could look like…sooner rather than later.

Death Panels is a must-read and certain to be a classic. Instead of scaring us into action, it shows us that, despite human failure, Truth can triumph.

Order Death Panels: A Novel of Life, Liberty and Faith and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

This book is approachable. The most compelling reason I have for wanting to stand from my rooftop and trumpet to everyone I know that they should read this book is that it’s approachableAND that it makes the whole idea behind Theology of the Body (republished in an expanded form recently as Man and Woman He Created Them), John Paul II’s great masterpiece (which is also online), approachable.

TOB is a HUGE undertaking to read and an even bigger undertaking to understand and unpack. I’ve read a host of other authors who have tried it, and who have done well. But this is the first book that I felt like I could hand to my friends, my husband, and my pastor with absolutely no compunction. It’s one of the only books I have purchased after receiving a review copy, and one of an even smaller number that I know I’ll be buying again.

There’s heavy, deep stuff in this book, because that’s the topic, but it’s written in a way that makes you comfortable. My husband thought, for the first two-thirds of the book, that I was reading a novel, and his eyebrows were lost in his hairline for a day or two when he found out it was nonfiction.

The Human Person presents a difficult topic in a very tangible way. There’s a reason Jesus spoke in parables, and this book demonstrates that wisdom in its explanation and demonstration of difficult concepts. Bransfield also has a way of linking things together that seem unexpected at first, but that work out to be brilliant together.

Take, for example, the entire last chapter of the book, “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Beatitudes, and the Virtues.” Now, I knew by this point in the book that I wouldn’t be falling asleep, but the title did leave me wondering what in the world I could expect, especially as it relates to John Paul II’s teaching. What followed was an in-depth discussion of those three things AND — this is the best part — a weaving together that made me look at my own life differently.

I love how different parts of the Catholic faith are tied into each other, but to think of the Beatitudes and the virtues you’re living when you fulfill a beatitude…well, that was a new one for me. And the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Where’d those come from? And what do they mean? I found out in a way that seared it into my mind and made me want to keep going, keep exploring, keep learning.

What’s wonderful about how John Paul II taught about the human person and the body is that he maintained that it’s a beautiful thing. Bransfield teased this underlying theme out and explored it using experiences from our common human experience — at one point, he was talking about young children, at another point, about driving. It read like an ongoing conversation, in some ways, and that made it all the more real to me.

Bransfield motivates me as a reader. Bransfield’s obviously a natural teacher, because he taps into so many different stories and experiences throughout this book, and he also uses other people’s wisdom. He references the entire body of John Paul II’s work as well as many of the others who have written about it. This book becomes, then, a sort of “best of,” written by someone who has a gift for sharing it and making you want to hunt down the source material for more.

I found myself wanting to ditch my reading pile and just pick up Theology of the Body (both the shiny new one and the old, dog-eared copy) for myself. He made me want to revisit Love and Responsibility and a couple of the encyclicals I’ve been meaning to reread.

He made me want to keep learning, keep digging, keep immersing myself.

He made me want to WAKE UP, and maybe that’s the biggest nod I can give any author, especially one writing about such an important and life-changing topic.

This book is written by an expert. Above all, Bransfield knows what he’s talking about. There are not only a million footnotes (which are also worth reading, by the way — some great stuff buried there in the back of the book!), but there’s also that air of confidence that comes from really knowing your material. This book is the Real Deal, made even more delightful by the fact that it is so approachable and tangible as it covers such a difficult topic.

The Human Person According to John Paul II gets my highest recommendation. I’d lend you my copy, but it’s dog-eared and underlined and written in many of the margins and, really, I’m not willing to part with it. (I don’t say that about many books, mind you.) I think you’ll find this to be a book worth reading, rereading, and studying. You might even find that it will take you down the road of reading Theology of the Body itself. Happy reading!

Special thanks to the folks at Pauline Books & Media for sending me a review copy. They didn’t expect me to rave (or to demand that they sell more copies); they just sent me the book when I wrote in and unabashedly asked if I could review it after hearing Lisa’s interview with Fr. Bransfield on Catholic Moments.



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

Thanks to the following authors, publishers, and donors who made this possible: Bezalel Books, The Christophers, Pauline Books & Media, Sophia Institute Press, Tribute Books, Alex Basile, Laraine Bennett, Michele Bondi, Peggy Bowes, Judy Dudich, Meredith Gould, Joe Hanneman, Lisa Hendey, Ginny Moyer, Mary DeTurris Poust, Heidi Schlumpf, Amy Welborn. Note: CatholicMom.com receives a small percentage if you purchase any of these books using the links provided below to Amazon.

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, September 30, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.

ADULT NONFICTION

Finding Faith In A Godless World: A Catholic Path To God

Alex Basile

“How do I know for real if God exists?” “How does a person come to believe in God?” “What if I still continue to have doubts?” These are just a few of the questions we all have asked ourselves at one time or another. This book takes the unique approach of finding answers – and ultimately God – through a variety of creative approaches: such as a visit to Las Vegas with the French philosopher and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, and journeying the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard. For anyone looking to strengthen their faith and relationship with God.

The Gentle Road To Jesus: Bringing Christ To Every Classroom and Home

Alex Basile

This book is a remarkable down-to-earth resource for anyone with privilege of passing the Catholic faith. Basile points out how those who are troubled and confused can be identified and helped in a compassionate and understanding way. He insists on the need for creating a fruitful environment in which the young can grow in their faith. Basile shows ways in which parents, teachers and lay leaders can make Christ real in the classroom and home, while sharing his enthusiasm and love for leading others down the gentle road to Jesus.

Lessons from the Master: Living Like Jesus

Alex Basile

Basile takes an existential look at the teachings of Jesus and invites the reader to journey with the Master from the carpentry shop, to the Sermon on the Mount, to the Resurrection, as He unlocks the key to living a happy and fruitful life. He offers a number of beautiful reflections on the Scriptures and takes a fresh look at the life of Jesus that will leave the reader with solid answers to their questions about what Jesus really taught.

Mom to Mom, Day to Day: Advice & Support for Catholic Living

Danielle Bean

Packed with common-sense suggestions, spiritual musings, and hilarious tales of Danielle’s own gang of eight kids, “Mom to Mom, Day to Day” is sure to keep any mother reading, reflecting—and laughing! She writes about the joys and trials of being a Catholic mother and wife today. In this hilarious and touching account, Danielle reaches out to mothers on an intimate level. Ideal for any woman who wishes to benefit from Danielle’s lived wisdom and heartfelt advice. Especially helpful for new moms!

My Cup of Tea: Musing of a Catholic Mom

Danielle Bean

Share the happiness—as well as the challenges—of Danielle Bean’s sometimes chaotic, often inspiring, always blessed life as the mother of six (when this book was written!) young children. Thirty short essays deliciously brewed with love, spiced with wit, and steeped in faith. Every Catholic mother will delight in discovering these beautifully-written stories.

The Temperament God Gave You

Art & Laraine Bennett

Unlock the secret of your personality and become a better spouse, parent, and Christian! Learn how to identify your own temperament and use it to become what God is calling you to be. This rich Catholic understanding of the four classic temperaments will draw you closer to God and help you find the path to holiness that’s right for you.

The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse

Art & Laraine Bennett

Love, honor, cherish … and understand. Temperament wisdom designed especially for couples and guaranteed to improve your marital communication, intimacy, and happiness. In no other kind of human relationship is knowledge of the temperaments — fundamental personality traits, hard-wired into us that affect how we respond to the world around us — so critical, and so fruitful, as in a Christian marriage. It’s only through mutual understanding of our own patterns of reaction, and those of our spouse, that we can motivate, nurture, respect, and above all, love each other with the selfless patience to which Christ calls us in the sacrament.

Your Personal Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God

Michele Elena Bondi

Each of us has a personal apostolate that we fulfill throughout our lives.  Our mission does not begin when we reach a certain age or accomplish a specific goal, nor does it reach its pinnacle when we attain a certain objective.  Rather, an apostolate begins the moment a person is created and comes to fruition over time, through all the circumstances of life.  Our mission is fulfilled in every moment, through every day.  Critical to our success is our willingness to accept, return, and share the Love of God.

The Rosary Workout

Peggy Bowes

“The Rosary Workout” is a means to care for body and soul together. It is a goal-centered program focused on the integration of exercise, prayer and meditation to work the muscles of the spirit in harmony with the muscles of the body.  The ultimate aim of the program is to lead you to become more Christ-like.  By reflecting on the mysteries of the Gospels through the mind-clearing effect of rhythmic exercise, you will learn to imitate the virtues portrayed in the examples of Jesus and Mary.  Learn more at www.rosaryworkout.com

Three Minutes a Day

The Christophers

This annual favorite offers brief stories and meditations that offer a positive perspective every day and reflect the Christopher motto, “It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”

How to Handle Worry: A Catholic Approach

Marshall J. Cook

Today’s world is busy and non-stop—one filled with eighty-hour-work weeks and too little time left over. Author Marshall Cook offers a practical approach to deal with the worries and anxieties that creep into our chaotic lives. He explains how we can create and maintain harmony in our lives through faith and prayer. Begin your own journey toward serenity today.

Let Me Go to the Father’s House: John Paul II’s Strength in Weakness

Stanislaw Dziwisz and Czeslaw Drazek, SJ; Renato Buzzonetti; Angelo Comastri

John Paul II’s private secretary, his personal physician, and others nearest him during his last days share memories of that precious time in a story of courage, gratitude, and love. Incorporates previously unpublished details on the dramatic events of the 1981 assassination attempt. A remarkable tribute to the life of an “untiring prophet of hope.” A full-color photo insert included.

St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love

Giovanni Falbo

Using extensive excerpts from the writings of St. Augustine, notably from his Confessions, Giovanni Falbo sheds new light on Monica’s patience, sweetness, and unwavering determination. This mother never yielded in her efforts to see her beloved son find comfort and peace in God, and she endured countless sacrifices to help Augustine embrace the faith.

The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Every Day

Meredith Gould

A single sourcebook that details home-based celebrations and rituals for every season of the Roman Church calendar. With good humor, Gould explains the importance of each special season, feast day, and sacrament, inviting readers to dissolve boundaries between parish and home.

The Journey Home: My Father’s Story of Cancer, Faith and Life-Changing Miracles

Joseph M. Hanneman

The inspiring story of a father’s battle with cancer, and the miraculous parting message he left for his family. Despite crippling symptoms from cancer, David Hanneman finished his life with renewed Catholic faith. His example and the miracles witnessed by his family give compelling witness to how each life has an incredible destination – in eternity. From the foreword: “This is the story of how Dad lived with his lung cancer. But it is much more. Through his illness and the miracles we experienced, I came to see that Dad’s was not just a journey. It was a journey home. Home to God.”

The Handbook for Catholic Moms

Lisa M. Hendey

Drawing from the deep tradition of the Catholic faith, Hendey coaches Catholic moms how to care for themselves–heart, mind, body, and soul–so that they can better love and care for their families, their neighbors, and their Church.  With warmth and wisdom, Hendey creates an environment where Catholic moms can reflect peacefully upon often-competitive topics like parenting style, types of schooling, and working outside the home. By sharing her own story, Hendey inspires readers to better balance their own needs with the demands of family life and faith commitment.

Paths Through Grief

Helen Jaeger

Grief comes to us in different ways, whether through bereavement, loss of a friendship, or emotional or physical pain. Yet however it visits us, we are not alone in our pain, for grief is a part of the universal human experience. Helen Jaeger has lived through her own dark valley of suffering; in this book, she shares the wisdom she has learned.

You Can Change the World

Father James Keller

Dynamic, thought-provoking, and intensely practical, this book by the founder of The Christophers (which means Christ-bearers) demonstrates how one’s role in life, though it may be a humble one, can be a vital force in creating a better world.

Bless Me, Father, For I Have Kids

Susie Lloyd

As she did in her beloved first book, Please Don’t Drink the Holy Water, in these pages Susie Lloyd will charm and edify you with her offbeat — but always pitch-perfect — take on the joys and challenges of raising a Catholic family in today’s world.

Please Don’t Drink the Holy Water

Susie Lloyd

Homeschool days, Rosary nights, and other near occasions of sin. Come along as wry homeschooler Susie Lloyd faces the trials of Family Rosary, and tangles with snide education experts, gruff confessors, and pushy relatives who tell her it’s time to wake up and join the “real world.” Lots of humor here!

Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God

Ginny Kubitz Moyer

“Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God” shares the stories of forty-six women, from their twenties to their nineties. They are laywomen and religious sisters, cradle Catholics and converts; they are single, married, and widowed, teachers and lawyers and musicians, mothers and grandmothers. All of them share their candid thoughts on Mary, reflecting on the often-surprising ways that she speaks to their lives. Woven with commentary and scripture references, Mary and Me offers a fresh, compelling look at the depth and breadth of Mary’s influence on women today.

The Nativity Story: A Film Study Guide for Catholics

Rose Pacatte, FSP

The Nativity Story invites us to explore our faith and listen for God’s word in our daily lives, and this film study guide is a wonderful road map for the journey. Complete with sections for personal study, for group study, and for whole community catechesis, this booklet is a practical guide for delving prayerfully into the mystery of our Savior’s birth.

Into Great Silence: A Film Study Guide

Rose Pacatte, FSP, and Ron Schmidt, SJ

Best-selling author and media educator Rose Pacatte, FSP, combines her writing and teaching talents with those of Jesuit priest and documentary filmmaker Ron Schmidt. Together they have created a comprehensive film study guide that offers audiences an immersion experience into the Carthusians’ ancient way of life, bringing it to bear on today’s busy working world.

A Mother’s Rule of Life

Holly Pierlot

How to bring order to your home and peace to your soul. With your own Mother’s Rule of Life, you’ll transform motherhood and its burdens into the joyful vocation it’s meant to be. Learn from Holly Pierlot how to craft a Rule that’s right for you and your family.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism

Mary DeTurris Poust

This study guide to the Catechism of the Catholic Church takes the teachings of the faith — Creed, sacraments, Ten Commandments, and prayer — and puts them into plain English so that any reader, Catholic or not, can understand and appreciate the beauty of the faith. Every paragraph is numbered and cross-referenced to the official Catechism, making this book the perfect side-by-side companion for those studying the full Catechism of the Catholic Church. This book, which carries an imprimatur, offers readers a chance to understand the theological and moral teachings of the Church within the context of Scripture and Tradition.

Parenting a Grieving Child: Helping Children Find Faith, Hope and Healing after the Loss of a Loved One

Mary DeTurris Poust

This practical, faith-based guide for parents of grieving children — as well as teachers, caretakers, neighbors and friends — uses personal stories, advice from professionals, and wisdom from seasoned parents to help lead children of any age successfully through the grieving process toward healing and happiness. Looking at how children may view death and experience grief at various ages and stages, the book seeks to help parents and others understand and recognize signs of grief, whether the loss is that of a beloved pet, an elderly next door neighbor, a grandparent, parent, sibling or friend. Each chapter includes practical activities.

Marriage As Gift: A Catholic Approach

Josephine Robinson

Looking for the secret of a happy marriage? Marriage As Gift offers solid wisdom on how to build a lifelong marriage. Based on John Paul II’s theology of the body, this volume is perfect for couples seeking to deepen their understanding of sex, love, and the meaning of a life lived together. Includes stories of married saints and questions for personal reflection and group discussion.

While We Wait: Spiritual Reflections for Those Trying to Adopt

Heidi Schlumpf

“While We Wait: Spiritual Reflections for Those Trying to Adopt” is a collection of reflections that detail how author Heidi Schlumpf found God in the process of adopting her children. A valuable resource for anyone adopting or thinking of adopting, it also is helpful for those who know someone adopting a child. I draw upon elements of my Catholic faith as well as other spiritual traditions.

Saint Edith Stein: A Spiritual Portrait

Dianne Marie Traflet

This is no ordinary saint biography! Pulling from Edith Stein’s own writings, Traflet infuses this biography with Stein’s spirituality: carrying light into the world and understanding human suffering. The result is a deeply moving and readable book that is sure to inspire those familiar with Edith Stein’s life and work and new readers alike.

A Catholic Woman’s Book of Days

Amy Welborn

“A Catholic Woman’s Book of Days” is a 365-day devotional for any Catholic woman, and all Catholic women. The brief daily entries are loosely tied to the liturgical year, the book is a very handy size, and features special devotions for several saints.

ELECTRONIC BOOKS

I Surrender

Judy Dudich

Making Christ the center of daily life is key to a happy marriage, joyful friendships, personal enrichment and a healthy family life! “I Surrender” is an e-book focusing on Joshua 24:15: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”! Apply this to your daily life as wife, mom, teacher, employee, friend, etc… Each chapter ends with questions to ponder to help you make Christ your daily center!

Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Your Daily Life

Deacon Steven Lumbert & Karina Lumbert Fabian

Do you feel distant from God? Do you want a closer relationship with him? God is with us always, sometimes in ways we don’t even realize. Deacon Steven Lumbert and his daughter, Karina Lumbert Fabian, share personal stories & simple tips for learning to find God in the day-to-day of Catholic living. Great for the casual or converting Catholic longing for something more in their relationship with God, or the “advanced” Catholic wanting light spiritual exercise.

YOUTH & CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Make Your Own Noah’s Ark

Clare Beaton

Kids can create their very own Noah’s ark with this activity book. Just fold out the ark on the cover and add the press-out background pieces. Then count on hours of fun, coloring and cutting out figures of people and animals to complete the scene! Includes a simple glossary.

Your Preteen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God

Nicholas Joseph Bottesi and Michele Elena Bondi

Every person has a  mission that is accomplished throughout our lives, beginning the moment we are created.  Accepting, returning, and sharing the Love of God are an important part of every apostolate. ìYour Preteen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of Godî helps preteens understand that their efforts and contributions are important and necessary.

Your Teen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God

Andre Joseph Bottesi and Michele Elena Bondi

Every person has an apostolate begins the moment a person is created and is accomplished over time, through all the events of our lives, in good times and during hardships.  Our mission does not begin when we  reach a certain age or achieve a certain goal;  it is  fulfilled in every moment, through every day.  Our success depends upon our willingness to accept, return, and share the Love of God.  “Your Teen Apostolate:  Accepting and Sharing the Love of God” reminds teens that their efforts and contributions are vital.

Saint Martin de Porres: Humble Healer

Elizabeth Marie DeDomenico, FSP

Brother Martin was “only a humble friar in Peru”—but this gentle saint used his healing skills to care for people of all races and nationalities. Discover why the story of Saint Martin is still so relevant today!

God’s Wonderful World

Jan Godfrey; illustrated by Peter Adderley

God made a wonderful world and filled it with beautiful, glorious, strange, and peculiar trees and flowers, stars and planets, and creatures of every kind. Then he gave it to us to take care of. Bright, colorful illustrations accompany rhythmic text that retells the story of God’s creation of the world. God’s Wonderful World is sure to become a family favorite! Ages 6–12.

The Road to Christmas Day

Jan Godfrey & Marcin Piwowarski

The story of the first Christmas is recounted through lyrical text and vibrant illustrations. The Road to Christmas Day is a fun, faith-filled way to highlight the Advent and Christmas seasons. A lovely gift for children and families that will be cherished year after year. Perfect for children ages 5–8.

57 Stories of Saints (Revised)

Anne Eileen Heffernan, FSP; illustrated by Jerry Rizzo

Some of the best-loved saints of the Church are featured in a revised and updated edition of a classic collection. Wonderfully written biographies and illustrations of Saints Lucy, Monica, Augustine, Benedict, Francis Xavier, Edith Stein, Juan Diego, Katharine Drexel, and many others. Perfect for intermediate readers and school or church libraries.

Saint Paul: The Thirteenth Apostle

Mary Lea Hill, FSP

From a persecutor of the early Christians, St. Paul was changed forever when he met Christ on the way to Damascus. Although he was not one of the original twelve apostles, he became known as the “thirteenth apostle.” He traveled great distances, preaching and writing as he went along, to bring the Gospel of Jesus to everyone. His great love for the Lord and for all people will inspire young readers to follow his example!

Saints of Note: The Comic Collection

Diana R. Jenkins; art by Patricia Storms

This comic collection takes children on a journey with time-travelers Paul and Cecilia as they travel to the past and meet saints from around the world and throughout history. Their exciting adventures bring the saints to life and make them meaningful for children today. Saints of Note is packed with biographical information, facts, quotes, prayers, and more! Great for kids ages 8–10.

Saint Nicholas: The Story of the Real Santa Claus

Mary Joslin; illustrated by Helen Cann

Here’s the story of the real Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, whose unfailing kindness and generosity led to many of the gift-giving traditions of Christmas. This beautifully retold legend features highly detailed and decorative illustrations. Ages 6–8.

My Muslim Friend: A Young Catholic Learns about Islam

Donna Jean Kemmetmueller, FSP; illustrated by Laura Jacobsen

“How are our beliefs different? How are they the same?” Mary, a Catholic girl, and Aisha, a Muslim, seek answers to these questions as each learns about the religion of the other. Catholic children, parents, and teachers will gain a new understanding, respect, and appreciation of Islam—and, in doing so, will come to deepen their own faith.

Who Is Jesus?

Lois Rock; illustrated by Gail Newey

Kids learn why Jesus’ message of love and forgiveness is so important and inspired so many people to follow him, both in his own time and to this very day. includes an index, a table of contents, and a “look it up” feature that encourages children to look up passages in their own Bibles, maps, pictures, artwork, cultural lessons, and more! Ages 9–12.

Isabel’s Sister

Harriet Sabatini

“Isabel’s Sister” is a beautiful story of life and promise in the Resurrection. Once again, author Harriet Sabatini captures the beauty of faith in this, her second book. For everyone who loved “Josephís Hands,” this book is sure to please. For those not yet familiar with Harrietís prose, or Marieís magnificent art work, ìIsabelís Sisterî will be a newfound treasure in books that every Christian family should have!

Joseph’s Hands

Harriet Sabatini

This book has received Apostolic Blessings from the Vatican and is endorsed by Archbishop Foley of Alabama and Catholic author Bert Ghezzi, “Joseph’s Hands” is the beautiful story of a young child’s understanding how God has made each person unique and how these unique gifts can serve God. The ideal book for vocation awareness!

Adventures of Saint Paul

Oldrich Selucky; illustrated by Zdenka Krejcova

Vivid full-color illustrations highlight the life of St. Paul in this exciting biography. Adventures of Saint Paul is an engaging, educational, and action-packed novel for young readers, ages 7-9, that accurately tells the story of this inspiring saint’s life. Encourage children to learn from the best examples – the saints!

Saint Bakhita of Sudan: Forever Free

Susan Helen Wallace, FSP

Kidnapped into slavery at the age of seven and brought to Italy as a teenager, the indomitable Bakhita eventually became a Catholic nun and spent over fifty years joyously serving her Lord as a Canossian Sister. In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized her. This Aftican saint’s engrossing life story, heroic choices, and forgiving heart make her a wonderful role model!

Saint Faustina Kowalska: Messenger of Mercy

Susan Helen Wallace, FSP

Here is the inspiring story of Saint Faustina, apostle of Jesus’ mercy, who was canonized in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. Growing up in war-torn Poland, she felt called to give her life to God as a religious sister. Jesus revealed the devotion to Divine Mercy through Faustina—and with prayers and faith, she was able to bring the wonderful message of the Lord’s mercy to the whole world!

Friendship With Jesus: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks to Children on their First Holy Communion

Amy Welborn

Based on a dialogue the Holy Father had with children in 2005, this beautifully illustrated children’s book is published by the Catholic Truth Society in England, and has not yet been published in the United States. Ann Engelhart’s watercolors bring out the innocence and hope of young faith and the Holy Father’s words offer profound, yet simple wisdom directing that faith towards deeper, lifelong intimacy with Christ through the Eucharist.

The Loyola Kids’ Book of Saints

Amy Welborn

“The Loyola Kids’ Book of Saints” offers several dozen lives of the saints, from ancient to modern, written for the upper-elementary and middle-school level child. The sections are organized thematically: “Saints are People Who Love Their Families” “Saints Are People Who Tell The Truth” “Saints Are People Who Travel Far From Home” “Saints Are People Who Help in Ordinary Ways” are some of the sections.

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, September 30, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.
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Second, I have not actually watched the DVD all the way through. I have driven quite a few miles with Friends and Heroes: Episodes 1 and 2 playing in the background on the DVD player in my van, though. During at least two hours of driving, I was actually listening to it. (I didn’t go so far as to crawl into the back with the kids, but I was close.) I’m pretty sure some of it is committed to my memory.

There was a point, on about our fifth viewing during a recent long trip that my husband started objecting.

“Girls, can’t we watch something else?”

Yeah. It’s good enough that my kids are taking Friends and Heroes over Cars or The Little Mermaid.

The graphics are great and so are the voices. I’m not an expert movie reviewer, but I come across a fair share of animated items and I know what goes over well with my kids. I get annoyed when the religious educational materials are less than the secular items they’re competing against, and Friends and Heroes is an example of quality that competes and surpasses the high budget movies out there.

The episodes are based on Bible stories, but they’re not the same-old, same-old retelling and rehashing. Instead, we get a new look at life during the First Century and a glimpse into how evangelization took place then.

Friends and Heroes is educational in a whole new way, at least for me. Instead of just retelling the stories, Friends and Heroes follows two friends, Macky and Portia, in their adventures fighting for justice and survival against the Roman Empire. We learn what it was to be Christian when Christian really wasn’t common (or popular). We see Bible stories we might know a little too well in a different light, in a different context.

I highly recommend this series, and not just because we loved the DVD. My five-year-old has recently discovered the Internet, and it delighted both of us to find out that Friends and Heroes has a website for kids. I was equally thrilled to learn that they have a section of their regular website devoted to Bible lessons.

Oh, and did I mention that there were at least 37 other episodes on 17 more DVDs available on their website? If you want to watch trailers and get at taste for what they’re all about, be sure to visit their website.

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Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

There were plenty of other people there, as I knew there would be, but I had counted on being alone in the crowd. I had a book, my iPod, and a guaranteed half-hour before we had to leave. The kids were delighted with this rare treat  (“We get to go inside?! And play on the Play Place?!?”) and were behaving and having a blast. It was shaping up to be a very nice lunch treat.

“Is anyone sitting here?”

The seat in question was at the next table. There was really no need to ask me. The only reason, in fact, for asking me would be to engage me in conversation.

When I looked up, the word “No” already coming out of my mouth, I saw a teenaged girl. She met my eyes and smiled.

It was looking unlikely that I would be getting any reading done.

“Are you from around here?”

Though about five different alarm bells went off in my head, I quieted them and gave her my best generic answer, returning fire: “Indeed we are. How about you? What brings you to our town?”

As it turns out, she was part of a mission trip. There was a big blue bus in the parking lot, and after she pointed to it, a friend of hers came over and introduced herself.

I couldn’t resist turning the tables. (Not only am I a writer-type, I’m also pretty gabby. And hey, she asked for it!) I asked her where she had been, what they had done, how she felt herself changed.

Her friend, who must have seen that I was going to prevent the goal from being accomplished (yes, I knew there was a goal, and I had a pretty good idea about what it was), asked me, almost interrupting, “So, do you have a church home?”

Ah. There it was. Though they had referenced seeing God at work throughout their six-week mission tour, and though I had been supportive of them in my responses, they had a Goal.

There wasn’t time to think of a great response. There wasn’t time to formulate a pithy remark or go into doctrinal teaching. Though I knew what their Goal probably was, I didn’t want to play defense. Not only is defense not natural, it doesn’t win anyone or convince them.

“Yes, we do. We go to St. Joseph over in the nearby town.”

I wanted to say more. Afterward, I wondered if I should have shared how becoming Catholic changed my perspective on Christianity, how it opened my heart to a Jesus Who was more than a theory.

“How long have you been attending? Are you happy there?”

How do I explain happiness to two teenagers who are in the height of their summer mission trip, stopping at a McDonald’s for an hour to share Jesus with the folks in the Play Place?

“Well, let’s see. I guess I’ve been attending with my husband for almost nine years now. We are very happy. God is good.”

There must have been a big signal at that point, because there was a murmur of “We have to go.” I wished them well.

Why, I reflected, were there tears in my eyes?

At that moment, one of my kids needed me, and I was diverted. I looked up and saw a family close to me praying with another teen. The tears, which had gone away, were instantly back.

What kind of witness am I? How do I represent Jesus to the people around me? While you won’t find me approaching people in McDonald’s, what do my actions say about what I believe?

Do I have the courage to share what’s important when the time is right? Do I have the wisdom to keep silent when I’ll incite someone? Do I care enough to let my tears shine through for those things closest to my heart?

I hope so. I pray so.

And I hope and pray that those two girls continue in their journey with Jesus.



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

We don’t have a popular record of what happened in those first 30 years.  We reflect and ponder and learn from three years of teaching and miracles.

But there’s a model for us in those first 30 years too.  Just as we can hear Jesus’ words in the Gospel writings, we can also see His example in the silence of His first thirty years.

He worked as a carpenter, toiling away every day, just like we do.  He had to do daily chores, put up with the tedium of day-to-day life, and conquer the hurdle of the same old, same old.  I’m sure he experienced the ruts that are a part of the human condition.

Did he get sick of the humdrum? Did He long for adventure? Did He wonder what the purpose was?

Having recently crossed the threshold into my 30s, I find myself looking at Jesus in a new light. I’m guessing most of the other men His age in Nazareth were married by that age, with kids underfoot and a whole series of challenges. In fact, that’s the season I’m in right now: the trenches of mothering young children.

Sometimes, it doesn’t seem like I have a whole lot in common with a single guy from the first century who lived with His mom until he was 30.

It’s all too easy to feel that way about some of the other people in my life too. How about that friend from college who never calls anymore? Or that lady at church with the teenagers? Or a person who just doesn’t seem to like me?

What do we have in common? Is it worth reaching out, putting my neck on the line, risking rejection (or worse)?

Well, that single guy sure has a lot to teach me. He spent thirty years almost invisible to the world around Him. He was important to only a handful of people, but I have a feeling He took that task very seriously.

I’m guessing, of course. I’m basing my conclusion on what I know of Him from three measly years.

I think I could do with using his 30 years of silence as a model for myself, for when I’m tempted to think of myself as deserving more than the rich blessings that are already all around me.

Those 30 years, the “hidden years,” represent the times when I do the daily tasks and weekly chores that go unnoticed, but that are indispensable to my family’s well-being. Jesus’ example and acceptance of how His life played out, from the 30 years of obscurity in Nazareth, to the three years of ministry around Jerusalem, to the Crucifixion and Resurrection, can inspire me to accept that God knows what I’m doing and will guide me, if I let Him, to exactly where He wants me to be.

What can I learn from the example of a single guy still living at home? Plenty, as it turns out. And I thank Him for it.



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

Thanks to the following authors, publishers, and donors who made this possible: Bezalel Books, Pauline Books & Media, Sophia Institute Press, Nancy Belanger, Regina Doman, Anne Faye, Carol Grund, Ellen Gable Hrkach, Mark Sebanc, and Gerard Webster. Note: CatholicMom.com receives a small percentage if you purchase any of these books using the links provided below to Amazon.

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, August 31, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.

ADULT FICTION

The Stoneholding AND Darkling Fields of Arvon (package of 2 books)

Jim Anderson & Mark Sebanc

“The Stoneholding” is the first installment in a major new epic fantasy series. It is the tale of Kalaquinn Wright, who is called to assume the mantle of leadership during a time of unprecedented upheaval. In the second book, “Darkling Fields of Arvon,” his adventures continue, as he passes through many dire perils. Reminiscent of the stories of King David, Frodo Baggins, and the mythical realm of Narnia, fantasy fans will recognize the many classic influences that inform the series. As the co-authors explain, however, they do not write Christian fantasy, but they are Christians who write fantasy.

Bleeder

John Desjarlais

When professor Reed Stubblefield is disabled in a school shooting, he retreats to a rural cabin to recover and write a book. Oddly, in the chill of early March, the campgrounds and motels are filled with the ill and infirm seeking the healing touch of the town’s new parish priest, reputed to be a stigmatic. Skeptical about religion, Reed is drawn into a friendship with the cleric. The priest collapses and bleeds to death right in front of his parishioners. Discovering he’s the prime suspect, Reed races to find the truth before he gets arrested . . . or killed.

The Story of Peace

Miriam Ezeh

A truly astonishing and engaging story of what it means to live responsibly in a time of love, war, and peace. Should be required reading for every teenager and adult, wherever they live, whatever their situation. I could not put it down. Would make a great movie. – Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D. Author, Producer, and Distributor Nineveh’s Crossing

Through the Open Window

Anne Faye

Lucy Lyons is trying to escape her past. Content to work as a librarian and live with her dog, all she wants is a simple life with no complications. When she decides to take the plunge and write a novel during National Novel Writing Month, she gets more than she bargained for. Her writing will not only force her to face secrets, but will also put her in the path of a handsome artist who shares her love of the written word. “Through the Open Window” is an engaging novel about the secrets we keep and hopes for second chances.

Emily’s Hope

Ellen Gable

The gripping story of one young woman’s spiritual journey from high school to adulthood. Interspersed throughout the story are flashbacks to Emily’s great-grandmother’s troubled life, with a climax culminating in the surprising revelation that Emily and her great- grandmother are connected more deeply than by ancestral ties alone. Based on a true story.

In Name Only

Ellen Gable

Caroline Martin’s life has finally taken a turn for the better. After years of hard work, she has met a virtuous and wealthy man whose love seems to promise the kind of life realized only within the comforting novels she keeps on her night table. Tragedy, however, will teach Caroline of the complexity with which God Himself authors the lives of those who turn towards him.

Sand and Water

Anabelle Hazard

Innocent idealist and devout Catholic Alana O’Keefe prayed three Hail Mary’s everyday for her future husband from six years old. Heaven answers her prayers in a most unexpected manner by sending her charming Atheist Lukas Swenson. Heaven intervenes and orchestrates a surprising meeting with a woman he cannot forget. What follows is a series of twists and turns, of hits and misses, of discovering God’s will and one’s destiny and finding true love in a romance that can only be written by the Mother of God.

The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years

Rosemary McDunn

It’s amazing how naturally McDunn weaves God’s sovereignty into the story to explain why God allows hurt, death and disappointment into our lives. The story has a lot to say about how, in the midst of tragedy, God is at work through the silent, selfless works of sacrifice and love, which are paid back one hundred fold. [It] is the type of historical fiction that is at once both educational and morally sound. – Pam Williams, Public Middle School Teacher, Catholic Religious Education Instructor

Joey’s Journey

Brad Thomas

“Joey’s Journey” follows one man’s path to the papacy. Electing an American pope won’t come easy but God’s will certainly prevails amidst drama and deception. Filled with inspiration and hope, “Joey’s Journey” is a “must read” that will keep the reader engrossed until the very end where the words “Habemus Papam” will bring a joyful leap to the reader’s heart!

The Song at the Scaffold

Gertrud Von Le Fort

“One of the great Christian classics of all time.” — Michael O’Brien. Blanche de la Force enters a Carmelite convent during the French Revolution — but is she strong enough to take the crown of martyrdom that awaits the Carmelites? An enthralling spiritual novel.

In-Sight

Gerard D. Webster

Ward McNulty had it all: successful career, beautiful girlfriend, and rich and powerful friends.  But he gained it at the cost of his faith…a story of fall, forgiveness, and redemption…of family values against a worldly culture…and of a lost son coming home.

Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes

Ann Margaret Lewis

A sudden death in the Vatican. An international incident over stolen artifacts. A priest’s wrongful imprisonment for murder. Follow the greatest detective ever as he investigates three baffling cases at the “express desire of his Holiness, the Pope.” Stories include: “The Death of Cardinal Tosca,” “The Vatican Cameos,” and “The Second Coptic Patriarch.” You’ll encounter baffling crimes, rich, historical settings, and a fateful encounter with Father Brown! These thrilling tales of murder and intrigue vividly bring to life three of Watson’s “untold tales!”

YOUNG ADULT, MIDDLE GRADE, & CHILDREN’S FICTION

Dear God, I Don’t Get It!

Patti Maguire Armstrong

This is the perfect story for 3rd through 6th grade Catholic kids and classrooms with excellent writing, vocabulary and thinking activities incorporated at the end of the book. It combines a great story with age-appropriate apologetics and is endorsed by best-selling authors Emily and Jeff Cavins as well as Bishop Zipfel.

Olivia and the Little Way

Nancy Carabio Belanger

Fifth-grader Olivia has moved to a new school and is eager to make friends.  Her best friend quickly becomes someone she has never seen-St. Therese of Lisieux.  With the help of her grandma, Olivia learns about the Little Way of serving God and how it can change everything! This beautifully illustrated novel celebrates the life of St. Therese and will inspire children to follow her example and discover their own Little Way miracles.

Little Rainbow Rosary

Rose Maria Dennis

Beautiful story of a young girl’s quest to learn about the beauty of the Rosary.

Alex O’Donnell and the Forty CyberThieves

Regina Doman

In this high-tech thriller, Alex returns from college to find that his dad has inadvertently discovered a mysterious website which leads to sudden wealth. But at what cost? Mayhem, martial arts, and murder ensue even as Alex pursues marriage with Kateri who wonders why she’s letting herself be a part of the madness. But in the end, it just might be the anti-technological Kateri who saves the day…

Catholic, Reluctantly (John Paul 2 High series, Book One)

Christian M. Frank

George Peterson would rather wrestle at a big high school, but he has to go to a new school run by Catholic parents: John Paul 2 High. Only seven kids in the whole school! The building is falling apart. Weird things keep happening. And then there’s Allie Weaver, drop-dead gorgeous, barely Catholic. Why did her parents suddenly transfer her to John Paul 2 High? And what is she so afraid of?

Trespasses Against Us (John Paul 2 High series, Book Two)

Christian M. Frank

Celia Costain finds it tough being thought of as the perfect principal’s daughter at John Paul 2 High. Being Catholic has never been easy, but now Celia’s friends are all dating and say she’s uptight. Celia can deal with that, but how can she relax with someone stalking her friend Allie? And no one will tell her what’s really going on!

Anna Mei: Cartoon Girl

Carol A. Grund

Sixth-grader Anna Mei Anderson is not only the new kid at school—she’s the new kid who’s Chinese and adopted. But when she starts transforming herself into someone less unusual, she soon realizes there’s a price to pay for her deception. God must have a plan for her—but how will she figure it all out? The answers only come when Anna Mei starts listening to her own voice, and the voices of the people who’ve cared about her all along. Humorous and poignant, wholesome but not preachy, it’s a story for anyone who has ever worried about fitting in.

Hiding the Stranger in Hickory Valley

Joan L. Kelly

The adventure begins when a young farm girl, Katie, finds an unconscious teenager in a meadow. When she and her siblings try to help him discover answers, they find themselves involved in intrigue and possible danger. Who is this mysterious stranger who suddenly shows up on a small Illinois farm? Where did he come from? Where is he going? This first book in the trilogy takes the reader on an adventure filled quest!

Hiding the Stranger on Baker Street

Joan L. Kelly

The adventure, which began in “Hiding the Stranger in Hickory Valley,” continues as our hero is followed by vicious kidnappers. While the teen waits at the house of a new friend, he finds adventure and narrowly escapes recapture in the town of Bedford. As our young stranger continues the quest to find his identity and reach home, his memory begins to return. He has the courage to run through fire and the wisdom to help Chris with a secret. This is the second book of the ‘Hiding the Stranger’ trilogy that takes the reader on an adventure filled journey!

Hiding the Stranger: The Journey Home

Joan L. Kelly

The adventure that began on a small Illinois farm comes to a conclusion in the active city of Chicago. Our teenaged hero’s quest to find his identity and reach home culminates at the historic Union Station. See how one boy’s fate will be changed by another’s act of total self-sacrifice. This is the third book in the trilogy (Hiding the Stranger on Baker Street and Hiding the Stranger in Hickory Valley) that takes the reader on an adventure filled journey! See why Mrs. Kelly’s work has been called “highly recommended for community libraries.”

My Big Feet

Joan L. Kelly

Becoming a part of a group and having friends can be a lot of fun; however, we have all gone through times when we didn’t quite seem to fit in. Rob Sanderson and his friends knew that they weren’t part of the ‘popular’ kids, but that didn’t stop them from accepting each other and facing life’s challenges. Join this group of misfits as they combine forces to find a way to outwit dangerous spies and save their new classmate and her family. Each copy includes a student resource section in back with reading comprehension questions, word searches, and writing assignments.

Friend 2 Friend: Twelve Short Stories

Diane M. Lynch (Ed.)

This collection of twelve short fiction stories includes a page of reflection and discussion questions after each story. Each story features a different aspect of the ups and downs of friendship and how the friends confront and resolve their problems and misunderstandings through faith and good humor. Perfect for classroom use as well as by middle-grade readers ages 8–12.

Awakening

Claudia Cangilla McAdam

Fear drives me forward as I rush down a rocky path in Jerusalem, trying to sort things out even as dusk makes it harder to hurry. Am I really an American girl, cast back to the time of Jesus? I don’t know anymore. But I do know that something awful is about to happen to my Jesus: they’re going to arrest him tonight, and kill him. It’s up to me to save him, hurrying down this dark path toward Gethsemane, toward the turning point of all history, the attempt to kill Jesus . . .

To enter: Leave a comment by midnight PT, August 31, 2010. One entry per person, please. We’ll randomly select winners and contact you for your mailing address.
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To tell you the truth, my first reaction to having gray hair is something like relief: I have made it this far!

Before you think my other name is Pollyanna, you should know that I’m not an eternal optimist. Though I have a good dose of positive energy in me, I also have an equal amount of cynic. The fact that I’m here, now, married to a guy who I dubbed “Prince Charming” years ago, with two lovely little girls and a little boy on the way, amazes me.

What, I wonder, did I do to deserve this?

Nothing. Not a thing. Nada.

Those gray hairs are testimony to God’s grace in my life. They remind me that I might just live to a ripe old age and see the kids of my grandkids. I might have a chance to tell plenty of stories sitting in a rocking chair, beside a handsome graying bearded man, while the fireflies dance away from small children chasing them.

In the gray hairs on my head, I have proof that perhaps I have finally reached that elusive state known as “Grown Up.”

Yes, I think I was a bit excited about those gray hairs. Maybe it’s because my hair is blonding in the summer sun and no one else can tell they’re there. Maybe it’s because I’m married to a man who sports quite a bit of silver in his beard and hair.

Maybe, finally, I can start to feel more like her, not like a kid imposter in an adult’s life. Maybe I can speak with authority that comes from experience and doesn’t fit like someone else’s oversized shoes.

There are worse things than gray hair, and I’m going to work on remembering that as I find more of them. More than anything, maybe those gray hairs are a reminder to me to act my age, without sacrificing the laughter and joy of it. I may be closer to meeting my Maker, but that’s not something to regret. I may be showing signs of age, but I’ve been longing to not be carded when I buy beer for years.

Instead of bemoaning the gray hair (and other signs of aging), I’m going to try embracing the prompt to thank God for the many blessings in my life.



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

It was an easy oversight. I had an infant who was keeping me busy and a preschooler who was active, to say the least. When the ever-present backpack stopped coming everywhere with us, I didn’t notice it.

Until it showed up again, that is.

It happened quietly enough. I was traveling out-of-state, with a five-year-old, a two-year-old, and a fellow adult (not my husband) who needed some assistance. We had two major airports to conquer. The backpack seemed like a good idea.

And it was.

The problem, if you could call it a problem, is that the backpack, or “packpack,” as she calls it, has never left. It comes with us wherever we go, whether we take a vehicle or a wagon or simply step outside to the back yard. In it, you might find a favorite blankie (properly seasoned with dirt, spit, and smell), a herd of small horses, a baby doll, seven pink Legos, a few markers, and a coloring book. You might find, additionally, kitchen utensils, an old container of we-don’t-know-anymore, and an unmated sock.

My five-year-old just rediscovered her backpack on a recent trip. I can see the glint forming in her eyes, and I wonder if it means we will begin hauling everything precious and important with us to the dentist, the grocery, and the sandbox. I had only just convinced her that we are not, in fact, transient people, that the large white structure where we sleep, also known as a house, will keep her valuables safe and sound.

The truth is, I see a bit of myself in my girls. In their obsession with keeping their most important possessions always within reach, I see a reflection of my own need to have my phone and my iPod in my pockets at all times. I have to wonder what God thinks, seeing me lug my worries and my cares around, despite His promise to take care of me better than I can imagine.

What’s in that backpack I’m carrying around? What’s in the bag that I’m carting from place to place, thinking I have to bear its weight all on my own? What’s keeping me from letting go, from letting Him?
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Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

Now, before we start with the list, I have to wonder if you have a breadbox in your home. Though I don’t, I’ve been thinking of getting one. I think it’s the old fashioned appeal they have, and the fact that I’m quite sure it would go with my decor of old farmhouse.

In the comments, add your own things smaller than a breadbox that you can’t live without. The most original or inspiring entry will win a prize (smaller than a breadbox, and probably far less useful) that will arrive in your mailbox approximately three weeks after I remember to pick a winner.

1. My iPod.

Yes, it’s true. It comes with me on long car rides, is my companion (thanks to these great speakers) when I take a shower, and keeps me company while I hang out my laundry. Without it, I might not recognize Lisa Hendey’s voice and, horror of horrors, I might not have the weekly dose of Among Women. No iPod means no clean-up time…because I got rid of the lone CD player and my kids rely on Peanut Butter Sandwiches to inspire their little bodies to get workin. (And, truth be told, so do I.) My iPod holds my favorite rosaries too, and what a change it makes to be able to pray along with someone else.

2. My blue Papermate.

Pen, that is. As in ink. I use it on paper. At least 20 times a day. Without that pen, I would be forced to rely on my memory, which seems to be growing holes in it faster than my kids’ socks. I use it on scraps of paper, lists, and, most importantly, that paper planner. (Yes, I use an electronic calendar too. But, somehow, I always come back to paper.) The blue reminds me, throughout the day, to think of Mother Mary, and when I do, I try to say a little Hail Mary (or, some days, just a plea for help).

3. My copy of the Catechism.

This is a close call, though when I checked, it fit in my brother’s breadbox. I reference the Catechism all the time, and I’ve even been working my way through it since last Lent. I don’t know what kind of reading I was expecting, but I sure wasn’t expecting it to be enjoyable. It is, and even though I often end up looking things up online (ah, search engines, how I love thee), this dog-eared and much-highlighted book is indispensable to my work and life.

(Note: I know I’m scandalizing someone out there by not including the Bible here, instead of the Catechism. Well, I have to be honest…I read the Bible lately through a Missalette (for the Sunday readings), through the Book of Christian Prayer (for the Liturgy of the Hours), or online. And my computer is too big for the breadbox. I already tried to wedge it in there, nearly to my detriment.)

4. My blue twine rosary.

I don’t have a lot of rosaries, which comes of not being raised Catholic. But I do have some very lovely, very dainty and delicate rosaries in the handful I own. My favorite, though, is a blue twine rosary I got from Real Life Rosary. I’ve washed it a number of times (which I’m sure blesses both the effort and the clothing), and I’ve handed it off to small children and toddlers. I can’t break it, and neither can they. Best of all, the smooth feel of the twine in my hands makes me think of Mary’s hands, and of how someday, my own hands will bear the proof of the work I do now. So when I pray, I think of holding Mary’s hand, and however much I may fail, I feel like I’m at least on the right track.

5. My phone.

I’m trying not to be a total geek here, but I have to admit…my life would be much different without my phone. We don’t have a home phone (and haven’t for years), so my phone is my connection to the world. Recently, I discovered texting, and life hasn’t been the same. It’s turned into how I capture moments through the day on Facebook and Twitter, stashing them away for future article ideas, to share with family and friends, and to give me perspective on life.

So, come on. What’s on YOUR list?



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

I remember the days of standing in line and getting my copy of the latest Harry Potter book at midnight (or 2 AM, depending on where I was in line). Though those days are gone, and though I didn’t have to wait in a line in the wee hours of the night for my copy of Alex O’Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves, I felt the same anticipation I remember from those book party days.

The latest Fairy Tale Novel should come with a warning label, though.

“Warning: You may not sleep, eat, or function normally until you have read this book as fast as you can. Your thoughts will not be your own, as you try to figure out what could possibly be happening next, and your conversations will be interrupted by your glances down to continue reading.”

My husband was mostly understanding. My children were bribed with various things I shouldn’t admit here. And me? I was enthralled, enraptured, encapsulated once more in a world not of my making and a plot bigger and deeper and wider than me, one that I couldn’t figure out until I was supposed to (I love that!).

The Fairy Tale Novels are some of the only books I’ve ever wanted to reread immediately. Alex doesn’t disappoint in that regard, and, like the others, is a must-read, whether or not you’ve read the others. I have read them all out of order, and they are completely OK that way. (I love that too!)

Want to win a copy of Alex O’Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves? Share your most outrageous computer problem in the comments by next Friday, July 16, and you’ll be entered to win. Thanks to Regina for kindly sponsoring this contest!



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

I don’t know how he succeeded. I don’t remember floggings or death threats, though I did manage to “borrow” them a few times over the years.

I agree that nice sunglasses can be worth every penny you pay. I argue, though, that with the interest my young daughters have in them that I would spend far more than my budget allows. I think, in fact, that I would rival my grocery bill with the money I would pay for sunglasses.

Before I had kids, I would consider spending twenty bucks on sunglasses, knowing that I could well be throwing away my lunch money.

I have a habit of losing sunglasses, you see. I set them down at the post office and am home before I realize that (a) I have a headache from squinting and (b) my sunglasses are long gone. I put them down when I pay for groceries and never pick them back up again. I drop them in any number of places when they slip off their perch on my head or from their dangly attachment to the side of my purse.

And now I have help in the Lost Sunglasses Department. Asking my five-year-old if she’s seen my sunglasses is good for a laugh: she might have seen them, but she won’t know where, won’t know when, and won’t know why it’s important that she help me look for them. My husband has given up trying to help me find a set of sunglasses that could have been left across town three hours ago: he just gives me his pair and smiles gently.

On my current pair of sunglasses, given to me by my generous brother-in-law, who keeps a stock of safety sunglasses for his business, I keep finding smudges. I’m pretty sure I haven’t left them there, but I’m not sure just when the small hands in my van have taken my sunglasses and put them back.

Those smudges remind me, so often, of my priorities. The little hands that made them think that my scratched and dented sunglasses are cool. The little girl who borrowed them looks up to me with eyes that are full of admiration and trust.

I should look to my heavenly role models with the same abandonment, wiping the smudges off my soul more often. Why do I work so hard to avoid confession? Do I really need that much time for my work, when there’s a young girl waiting patiently with a book in her hand?

This week, I’m going to say a prayer of thanksgiving every time I notice the smudges and smears on my sunglasses. I’m going to recognize them as the blessing they are and offer God a bouquet of words.



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

I have found that help. It’s called The Rosary Workout, by Peggy Bowes.

When I first read it, it was but an e-book, but now Peggy has a hard copy book too, and it’s perfect if you share my ailment known as Exercise Procrastination.

“I did not want my exercise program to be yet another entry on the crowded list of quick-fix, instant-result workout plans,” Peggy shares. “Instead, I decided to create a plan that would help a person improve both physically and spiritually.  This is not a multi-tasking prayer-and-exercise plan, but rather an integrated approach to taking care of the body and soul together.”

There are five parts, and I’ve included links to sample pages (which open as PDF documents):

* Part I – a summary of the Rosary, its history, the significance of Rosary prayers, and its power as an intercessory prayer. See a sample page.

* Part II – an introduction to the concept of the Rosary as the School of Mary and the importance of Mary’s role as advocate and teacher, the Nine Choirs of Angels and their significance in Rosary prayer. See a sample page.

* Part III – an explanation of the scientific principles of exercise that are the foundation for the workouts and great information on nutrition and hydration. See a sample page.

* Part IV – the preparation to begin the workouts, including suggestions on how to start and commit to The Rosary Workout™ and how to handle setbacks. See a sample page.

* Part V – the workouts, divided into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels, with graphics to explain the workout instructions. See a sample Intermediate Level workout.

My problem in the past has been a combination of time and motivation. I think I’ve found motivation in a way I never looked for it before: through my favorite prayer (though, admittedly, the hardest one I have to pray).  I love that Peggy encourages readers to keep a journal that includes not only details about each workout, but also details about spiritual things.  Did you go to Confession?  Have you been struggling?  Do you have a special intention?

Tying my physical and spiritual health together in such a tangible way feels right in a way that excites me, that makes me, for once, WANT to work out.

Would you like a copy of The Rosary Workout? Well, sure you would, but we have something even better…Peggy has generously offered to design a personal workout and 4-week healthy eating plan in addition to donating a book.

To enter, share your biggest exercise challenge before next Friday, July 2, 2010. We will share the plan, along with some general notes about the case (identifying and intimate details will be removed) in a future column here at CatholicMom.com.



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

How much do I tell you without telling you too much? But, on the other hand, if I don’t convince you, you might mistakenly think that this is a book you can live without.

OK, maybe you can. I thought, after I read the back cover, that I could too. It just seemed…not as pressing as some of the other novels in my stack of books.

In this novel, I found a story that gripped me and writing that moved me to a new consideration of one of the most important events in human history: the Passion of Jesus Christ. It makes use of an old sort of concept and twists it with characters who are relatable and tangible.

How can Awakening do all this in less than 150 pages? Therein lies the expertise. Therein lies the art. Therein lies the beauty.

If you need a boost for your faith journey, or a reminder of how stories can charge your understanding of God, consider a copy of this book. It’s both a spiritual prod and a book you can put in the beach bag for summer fun.

Though it’s labeled young adult, I recommend this book for anyone. For me, the YA label is compelling because it means I’ll be able to whip through it (call me lazy, I don’t mind). It also means, in many instances (especially with mainstream titles), that I get to skip distasteful scenes that I would rather not read anyway.

Many of the YA titles I read, though, also give me a very real glimpse of the world of the teens around me. I have a lot of teens in my life, but only little kids in my house. I want to be in touch, and reading YA helps me to stay a little closer.

But, truth be told, I just like this book. YA or not, short or long, it’s a great read.

(I did receive a complimentary copy of this book thanks to the kind folks at Sophia Institute Press. This did not bind me to writing a rave review; I would have done that anyway.)



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

They didn’t know it at the time, of course. I was just one of their invisible fans, enjoying the immense work they do online. Though I’ve gotten to know each of them a bit better in the last few years, I still face close calls with my bladder and have difficulty not just going into psycho fan-girl mode with them.

They are, after all, Catholic moms, just like me. They get up in the morning, face the battles of their days, and plow on through to bedtime.

Maybe that’s why they are so popular. Maybe that’s why I’m just one of about a million of their fan-moms. Maybe that’s what makes their latest project, Small Steps for Catholic Moms: Think. Pray. Act. Every Day., such a treasure.

Small Steps isn’t a tome about how you can be more of a super-mom. This isn’t a book that will unlock the secrets of momhood and give you the elixir of needing less sleep.

What you’ll find, which is better, is a daily dose of inspiration, wisdom, and encouragement from women who know how lonely and hopeless it can be in the trenches of motherhood. This isn’t preaching, this is touching and giving in the most beautiful of Catholic traditions. This is a cup of tea with friends, a hug from a fellow trooper, an embrace from God Himself.

In Small Steps, you get just what it says: a quote from a saint, a short prayer, and a to-do item. Every month is centered around a virtue, and the companion journal gives you a chance to jot notes and reflect more deeply about that virtue, even as each day of that month takes you on a small step toward that virtue.

This book couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Early in my current pregnancy, I was hugging toilets and buckets and trashcans every morning. My prayer time was slashed in favor of sleep. By the time the kids woke me up, that precious quiet time was…gone. By the time the kids were in bed at night, I was collapsing along with them.

Small Steps is a lesson for all of us: we don’t reach sainthood in giant leaps, unless we look back over our entire lives. Instead, the road to heaven is a series of moments, of small steps we take, holding on tight to the hands of those who have gone before us and who are carrying us when we fall.

Would you like a chance to win a signed copy of Small Steps for Catholic Moms? Leave your name in the comments by next Friday, and we’ll choose one lucky winner.
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The contest ended June 18…congratulations to our winner, Erin G (commenter #34)! For those of you who didn’t win, don’t forget that this book (and its companion journal) make a great gift idea.

Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard

Then I thought about where we would put this baby. I wondered how I would decorate a nonexistent room with a saint’s picture, with blankets made just for this child, with drawings made by older sisters over the course of months of waiting.

Did I mention that I have zero decorating abilities?

I have never “done” a nursery, though I’ve had two opportunities (and plenty of offers of help, subtly stated by friends and sisters-in-law). I just never saw the need; wouldn’t it be more fun for said child to decorate their room when they had their own taste? My five-year-old, for example, had a chance to pick out her own room color when we redid our upstairs, and she chose a color I would have never picked for her.

Though I seem to lack the “nesting” traits inherent to most women’s pregnancies, it was nothing less than delightful when the package came bearing a Birdie Banner arrived from Wee Gallery.

Here was something I could do for my new baby that would be fun, and yet not too much for my terrified-of-decorating self. They’re sturdy and lovely, but simple. According to the package, they’ll stimulate my baby, but I just love that they’re not ugly!

I’ll be checking out more from their website in the coming months, I’m sure, and perhaps I’ll tap into the talents of my five-year-old resident designer.

Don’t miss your chance to win your own Wee Graphics Birdie Banner in one of the prize packs in the June giveaway!



Copyright 2010 Sarah Reinhard