Sunday, October 5, 2014

Harvey House Publishing {Sponsored Giveaway}


In honor of the feast of St. Therese during this month of October, Harvey House Publishing has offered to send one of my visitors here at Shower of Roses autographed copies of Olivia and the Little Way and Olivia's Gift!

I've reviewed both of these excellent books in the past and added them to our girls' bookshelf. Our oldest daughter recently read Olivia and the Little Way and now it's one of her favorites!  She just started reading Olivia's Gift, which also includes dear St. Therese and is perfect for Respect Life Month with it's strong pro-life theme encouraging a deeper respect of life.


Olivia and the Little Way
Fifth grader Olivia Thomas has moved to a new school in a new state, and is eager to make friends! Her best friend quickly becomes someone she has never seen—St. Therese of Lisieux. Follow Olivia's trials as she tries to fit in at St. Michael's School. With the help of her grandmother, she learns about the "Little Way" of serving God and how it can change everything!

This touching and heartfelt Catholic novel celebrates the life of St. Therese and will inspire young readers to follow her example and discover their own "Little Way" miracles. This engaging story is beautifully accompanied by Sandra Casali LewAllen's stunning illustrations.


Olivia's Gift
In Olivia and the Little Way, Olivia Thomas was the new girl in school when she felt St. Therese of Lisieux enter her life. Now her relationship with the Little Flower has blossomed into a beautiful friendship as she prepares to follow the Little Way into seventh grade.

School is out for the year and it's time for a fun beach adventure. However, Olivia discovers that sometimes it can be difficult to be a good Catholic when you are in middle school—she discovers she needs God and St. Therese more than ever. In this beautiful novel that celebrates modesty and the precious gift of life, Olivia learns that it takes blind faith every day —and that God is never far away, even on vacation. This captivating story is beautifully accompanied by Sandra Casali LewAllen's stunning illustrations.


I've included Amazon links above so you can read additional reviews, but these books can be ordered directly from Harvey House Publishing with optional inscriptions from the author at no additional charge and FREE standard shipping!  Click here to buy the books


Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter box below:

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Thursday, October 2, 2014

15 Years Ago on the Feast of the Guardian Angels


Today is our 15th wedding anniversary! I realized this afternoon that our littlest ones had never seen our wedding album. I pulled it out and it was so much fun watching their reactions to all the pictures. I also finished praying my St. Therese novena today, the eve of her traditional feast day, and I actually have a little "rose" story to share, but that will have to wait for now since Sean and I are going out to celebrate. Happy Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels! 



"Uncle David is so little!!!" Hard to believe that he was only three when we got married and now he's in college… 
 


Snuggles and Rose were excited to spot their Godfathers in this picture.
… and Bud wanted to know why he still hasn't even gotten to meet his! ;)
"Gampa!!!" {aka "grandma" lol}



A Mother's Prayer to the Guardian Angels of Her Children 

I humbly salute ye, O you faithful, heavenly Friends of my children! I give you heartfelt thanks for all the love and goodness you show them. At some future day I shall, with thanks more worthy than I can now give, repay your care for them, and before the whole heavenly court acknowledge their indebtedness to your guidance and protection. Continue to watch over them. Provide for all their needs of body and soul. Pray, likewise, for me, for my husband, and for my whole family, that we may all one day rejoice in your blessed society. Amen. 

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Rose Cupcakes for St. Thérèse

The Little Flower of Jesus by Sister Julita

Two boxes of cake mix = cupcakes to celebrate three back-to-back feast days for our family of nine with just a few leftover! I baked the white cupcakes yesterday, while baking the face for St. Jerome's lion, and decorated them this afternoon with cream cheese frosting, white roses from Wilton, and my attempt at some ribbon roses and leaves with the extra frosting… They are far from perfect but still turned out pretty!

  






"You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them." ~ St. Thérèse

The Catholic Child and the Saints :: Little Flower


Dear St. Therese, thou wert always good and obedient and always did the Will of God. Now thou art a great saint in heaven with God. Thy loving and tender heart rejoices to send down roses upon earth. O give me the sweet flower of a great love for Jesus! Pray for me that I may have all the graces I need. 



- Little Flower prayer from Jesus, Make Me Worthy - a reprint of the original can be found here.

+ + + + + + + 


I couldn't help smiling when my beautiful little "Rose" walked into our room early this morning wearing her new "Wild Irish Rose" t-shirt (purchased at a fun little Irish store we visited on our road trip) without any reminders from me on whose feast day is celebrated today! 

St. Therese, the Little Flower, pray for us! 

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

St. Jerome and the Lion


'God be with me,' he prayed, but still the lion came on, roaring to split the sky, but now his tone seemed to the Saint more hurt than angry; and then he saw this lion limped on three legs, one front paw hung swollen, bleeding, and misery had so furrowed his face that the Saint could see he had not come to devour but to ask for charity.



For three nights and days the lion had not slept.
His flanks were thin, his gold eyes wept
as he wandered in pain and fever, roaring, as if asking why
a lion should suffer. 'A weasel or goat or bad serpent, but i, 
the King of Beasts, to find a thorn such woe!'
(He had fallen into a thicket of thorns a week ago
and one had festered.) All this Saint Jerome seemed to know, 
and laid his hand on the hot snuff-coloured brow. 
'Lord Jesus is the King of Kings,' he said, 'but I shall read you how
He suffered with a hundred thorn wreath pricks.'
The lion listened thoughtfully, gave the hand lion licks
to show his pity, and tried to sink his roaring to a moan.
'Lord Jesus! Then His beast is not alone,'
and he limped up to the convent gate with Saint Jerome. . . 

- Excerpt from St. Jerome and the Lion by Rumer Godden


+ + + + + + +

Just like last year, our leftover Michaelmas Cupcakes turned into a lion for today's feast of St. Jerome. The lion's face is a small 6-inch white cake made with some of the batter I whipped up for tomorrow's St. Therese Cupcakes. I ran out of chocolate frosting and didn't have time to make more, but our children didn't seem to mind at all as they enjoyed eating them while I read aloud the story of St. Jerome and the Lion by Rumer Godden from this month's book basket

Saint Jerome, ora pro nobis! 

Monday, September 29, 2014

Celebrating Michaelmas


O Jesus! Life-spring of the soul! 
The Father’s power and glory bright! 
Thee with the angels we extol; 
From Thee they draw their life and light. 


Thy thousand, thousand hosts are spread
Embattled o'er the azure sky; 
But Michael bears Thy standard dread, 
And lifts the mighty Cross on high. 


He in that sign the rebel powers 
Did with their dragon prince expel,
And hurled them from the heaven’s high towers, 
Down like a thunderbolt to hell. 


Grant us with Michael still, O Lord, 
Against the Prince of pride to fight; 
So may a crown be our reward,
Before the Lamb’s pure throne of light. 


To God the Father praise be done, 
Who hath redeemed us through His Son;
Anoints us by the Holy Ghost,
And guards us by the angel-host. Amen.

+ + + + + + + 

The girls and I arrived home last night from our 10-day road trip and I managed to pull together a simple celebration for today's feast! Devil's Food Cake or Cupcakes (served with toy or cocktail swords to help St. Michael defeat the "devil") have been one of our family traditions on this feast for years and I couldn't let the day slip by without making them for dessert. I also had a new "Quis ut Deus"cap for Snuggles, read aloud the story of St. Michael from Heroes of God: Saints for Boys (also available here), and we all listened to The Day the Angles Fell from Regina Martyrum Productions! We had a great time on our trip, and I'll share about it soon, but it is so nice to be home again!



Happy Michaelmas! 

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Novena to Saint Thérèse


The feast of St. Thérèse is coming up! On the traditional calendar her feast is celebrated October 3rd. (It was moved to October 1st on the new calendar.) Novenas for her intercession can be said anytime, but we will be praying a few different novenas for a special intention this year, beginning today in anticipation of her feast and ending on October 2nd, the eve of her traditional Feast and our 15th wedding anniversary! We will then pray another Novena to St. Therese which begins on her feast day.

You can find additional ways to celebrate the feast of St. Therese here and here.


Rose Novena Prayer

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus
Please pick for me a rose
from the heavenly garden
and send it to me
as a message of love.

O Little Flower of Jesus,
ask God to grant the favors
I now place with confidence
in you hands
( mention your special prayer request here )

St. Therese, help me to always believe
as you did, in God's great love for me,
so that I may imitate your "Little Way" each day. 


The Twenty-four 'Glory Be's’ Novena to St. Therese

The Glory Be is said 24 times each day for nine days, in thanksgiving for all the blessings and favours given to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus during the 24 years of her life. Start the novena each day with this prayer:

“Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, I thank You for all the blessings and favours You have showered upon the soul of Your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, during the 24 years she spent here on earth, and in consideration of the merits of this, Your most beloved Saint, I beseech You to grant me this favour, if it is in accordance with Your most Holy Will and is not an obstacle to my salvation.”

After this prayer, follow with the 24 Glory Be’s, between each of which should be included this short prayer”

“Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.”


A Nine Day Novena to Saint Thérèse

O St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were -- to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life” Beg her powerful intercession the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment...and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Thérèse of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.


DAY ONE

O Thérèse of the Child Jesus, well beloved and full of charity, in union with you, I reverently adore the majesty of God, and since I rejoice with exceeding joy in the singular gifts of grace bestowed upon you during your life, and your gifts of glory after death, I give Him deepest thanks for them; I beseech you with all my heart’s devotion to be pleased to obtain for me (...mention request here). But if what I ask of you so earnestly does not tend to the glory of God and the greater good of my soul, do you, I pray, obtain for me that which is more profitable to both these ends. Amen.


St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY TWO

Almighty God, giver of all good gifts, who did will that Blessed Therese, being watered by the heavenly dew of your guiding grace, should bloom in Carmel with the beauty of virginity and patience in suffering, grant that I your servant may go forward in the order of her sweetness an may be found worthy to become a devoted and loyal follower of Christ. Amen.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY THREE

O Therese of the Child Jesus, lily of purity, ornament and glory of Carmel, I greet you, great saint, seraph of divine love. I rejoice in the favours our Lord so liberally bestowed on you. I humility and confidence I ask you to help me, for I know God has given you love and pity as well as power. Tell Him, now, I beseech you, of the favour I seek in this novena... Your request will crown my petition with success and bring joy to my heart. Remember your promise to do good here on earth. “I shall spend my heaven doing good on the Earth After death I shall let fall a shower of roses.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY FOUR

O Little Flower of Jesus, who at an early age had your heart set on Carmel and in your brief earthly life did become the mirror of angelic purity, of courageous love and of whole hearted surrender to Almighty God, turn your eyes of mercy upon me who trusts in you. Obtain for me the favour I seek in this novena...and the grace to keep my heart and mind pure and clean. O dear saint, grant me to feel in every need the power of your intercession; help to comfort me in all the bitterness of this life and especially at its end, that I may be worth to share eternal happiness with you in heaven. Amen.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY FIVE

O Little Flower of Carmel, Almighty God endowed you, consumed by love for him, with wondrous spiritual strength to follow the way of perfection during the days of your short life. Sickness touched you early but you remained firm in faith and prayer was your life. O pray for me that I may benefit by your intercession and be granted the favour I ask in this novena...

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY SIX

O Little Flower of Jesus, you have shown yourself so powerful in your intercession, so tender and compassionate toward those who honour you and invoke you in suffering and distress, that I kneel at your feet with perfect confidence and beseech you most humbly and earnestly to take me under your protection in my present necessity and obtain for me the favour I ask in this novena...Vouchsafe to recommend my request to Mary, the merciful Queen of Heaven, that she may plead my cause with you before the throne of Jesus, her divine Son.. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY SEVEN

Therese of the Child Jesus, most loving Saint, in union with you I adore the divine Majesty. My heart is filled with joy at the remembrance of the marvellous favours with which God blessed your life on earth and of the great glory that came to you after death. In union with you, I praise God, and offer him my humble tribute of thanksgiving. I implore you to obtain for me, through your powerful intercession, the greatest of all blessings -- that of living and dying in the state of grace. I also beg of you to secure for me the special favour I seek in this novena...

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY EIGHT

O glorious St. Therese, who, burning with the desire of increasing the glory of God, invariably attended to the sanctification of your soul by the constant practice of prayer and charity so that, becoming in the Church a model of holiness, you are now in Heaven the protector of all those who have recourse to you in faith, look down upon me who invokes your powerful patronage and join your petition to mine that I be granted the favour I seek in this novena...

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

DAY NINE

O St. Therese, seraphic virgin, beloved spouse of our Crucified Lord, you who on earth did burn with a love so intense toward your God and my God, and now glow with a bright and purer flame in paradise, obtain for me, I beseech you, a spark of that same holy fire which shall help me to put things of the world in their proper place and live my life always conscious of the presence of God. As I conclude my novena I also beg of you to secure for me the special favour I seek at this time...



St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

Monday, September 22, 2014

The Seven Sacraments Stained Glass Window {Catechism Craft with Free Printable!}


"And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. ~ John 1:14

This year our seven year old is preparing to make his First Confession and First Holy Communion! Earlier this month we spent some time studying the Seven Sacraments and creating a "Seven Sacrament Stained Glass Window."

A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. There are seven sacraments: Baptism, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Extreme Unction. This fun and colorful craft provides an excellent opportunity to teach children more about the sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ and how they receive their power to give grace from God, through the merits of Christ’s Redemption on the Cross.


Originally I was just going to use a blank cross for this craft and have my son list the Seven Sacraments on the cross, but then I decided to try and add some illustrations for my son to color, and then lines for him to write the names of the sacraments. All of my other children ended up asking to create one too! Here are the links to all the documents I created in the process. You are welcome to download them for your own family/class if you'd like:




Supplies:
  • Black or Dark Blue Card Stock or Construction Paper
  • Yellow Card Stock or Construction Paper (cut into the shape of a stained glass window)
  • Seven Sacraments Cross Printable (additional options can be found listed above)
  • Colored Card Stock or Construction Paper, cut into small one inch shapes 
  • Colored Pencils, Crayons or Markers
  • Pencil or Black Gel Pen
  • Scissors
  • Glue Sticks



Directions: 

1. Write a list of the Seven Sacraments onto the white cross or color the illustrations if you are using the printable. Another option is to have the children copy a bible or saint quote onto the cross.

2.  Have the children glue the yellow window shape to a piece of black or dark blue paper.

3. Glue the cross to the center of the yellow window.

4. Next, have the children glue the small pieces of colored paper to the window shape, creating the "Stained Glass Window."











Additional Reading, Coloring Books, and Songs on the Seven Sacraments: 

The Seven Sacraments by Father Lovasik


We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee, because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.