Prayers for those struggling with Alcohol abuse...

For those struggling with alcohol...FROM www.americancatholic.org
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint.
June 18, 2008

Venerable Matt Talbot PRAY FOR US...
(1856-1925)

Matt can be considered the patron of men and women struggling with alcoholism.
Matt was born in Dublin, where his father worked on the docks and had a difficult time supporting his family. After a few years of schooling, Matt obtained work as a messenger for some liquor merchants; there he began to drink excessively. For 15 years—until he was 30—Matt was an active alcoholic.

One day he decided to take "the pledge" for three months, make a general confession and begin to attend daily Mass. There is evidence that Matt’s first seven years after taking the pledge were especially difficult. Avoiding his former drinking places was hard. He began to pray as intensely as he used to drink. He also tried to pay back people from whom he had borrowed or stolen money while he was drinking.

Most of his life Matt worked as a builder’s laborer. He joined the Secular Franciscan Order and began a life of strict penance; he abstained from meat nine months a year. Matt spent hours every night avidly reading Scripture and the lives of the saints. He prayed the rosary conscientiously. Though his job did not make him rich, Matt contributed generously to the missions.

After 1923 his health failed and Matt was forced to quit work. He died on his way to church on Trinity Sunday. Fifty years later Pope Paul VI gave him the title venerable.

Comment:

In looking at the life of Matt Talbot, we may easily focus on the later years when he had stopped drinking for some time and was leading a penitential life. Only alcoholic men and women who have stopped drinking can fully appreciate how difficult the earliest years of sobriety were for Matt.

He had to take one day at a time. So do the rest of us.

Quote:
On an otherwise blank page in one of Matt’s books, the following is written: "God console thee and make thee a saint. To arrive at the perfection of humility four things are necessary: to despise the world, to despise no one, to despise self, to despise being despised by others."

THE ABC AND D'S OF HOME ORGANIZATION

WE NEED TO RECLAIM OUR VOCATION AS WIVES AND MOTHERS

A) ASK FOR HELP: Push away pride, give others the opportunity to receive
the graces to serve. stop trying to be super mom!!!

1. God- be specific. The widow in the bible who kept asking the judge...beg!
2. Kids- responsibilities
3. Others-in-laws, godparents, neighbors, people from church, and especially people who ask if you need anything or offer their services. Examples:
Carpooling, wash, ironing, pick up groceries, barrow from neighbors.
4. Try not to ask your husband...I want him to be happy to come home, be open to life, and continue to want to homeschool

B) BLESS YOUR FAMILY: Rethink cleaning as blessing your family. BE A PROFESSIONAL OF YOUR HOME!!! Look like a pro too...do your hair, make up, and look nice. (especially for your husband)

1. FLYLADY- a. Get dressed to your shoes in the morning.
b. Keep your sink clean.
c. At night review next day schedule and lay out your clothes.
d. Declutter (27 fling boogie)
e. Hotspots
f. SHE (sidetracked home executive)

C) CHARTS & CALENDERS: think about what you need help with and schedule yourself and others to do it.
1. Job charts- personalize
Husband’s pet peeves (ask)
What you wished you could accomplish each day.
2. Calendars- things we forget
Specify a day for errands, etc...
Break down your day (schedule)
Planner
Meals
Exercise
Family fun
3. Routine!!!!!

D) DE STRESS YOUR LIFE!!!! This is easier for parents with little kids because they are involved in less activities and homework. BE FLEXIBLE!!! It definitely changes with out state in life...pregnancy, moving, construction, etc...

What has helped me: (discern your state in life)
1. Early bed time.
A. gives you time with your spouse
B. gives you one on one time with other kids
C. gives you time to do evening activities
D. get to sleep early yourself (pregnant or nursing)
F. those of you who have lots of children it gives them
Quiet time, personal space, and opportunity to read


2. Narrow down unnecessary activities!!!!!
a. discuss with spouse
b. limit/combine with other kids
c. kids appreciate the opportunity more and don’t take for granite
d. pray about the virtues you want your child to have


3. SERVICE
a. your state in life
1. spouse
2. children-nursery, Sunday school, CCD, sports

b. use your talents
1. offer your services to your pastor
2. volunteer at your child’s school
3. help a new mom out



All these ways take time and discernment. Just because they work for me doesn’t mean they will work for you. Take small steps and laugh alot!

PRAYER

Dear Lord,

I thank you for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to
hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an
understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on
blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or
thought that was not pleasing to You. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this
day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best
of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.

Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let
me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil.
And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my
wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God, and make amends.

And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example –
to slip away and find a quite place to pray. It's the best response
when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You
listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me
strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have
words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and
can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and
misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I
pray for those who will delete this without sharing it with others. I
pray for those who don't believe. But I thank You that I believe.

I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for
all my sisters and brothers; for each and every family member in their
households. I pray for peace, love, and joy in their homes that they
are out of debt and all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem,
circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your
hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the
hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them
willingly.

This is my prayer.
In God's Name, May God bless you.

family rules...

KIDS FIGHTING
We call it life lesson's on how to deal with different types of people...and they will make great spouses or religious because they know how to cope with others. (just put it under conflict resolution for homeschooling)
A couple of rules:
1. no bad words
2. no hitting
My kids have to answer 3 questions-
a)what is your job in life:to make my little brothers and sister's happy!!!
MOTTOS...
b)KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF!!!
c)IF YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING NICE DON'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL!!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY HONEY...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY SWEET HEART...I KNOW YOU ARE NOT MY DAD...BUT WITH GOD'S HELP...I HELPED YOU BECOME A DAD!!! YOU ARE MY SOUL MATE AND BEST FRIEND!!! YOU ARE MY BALANCE AND MY REWARD!!! THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME WONDERFUL CHILDREN...HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO THE MOST SARDONIC DAD WE KNOW...




FROM ALEX:
I love my Dad because he works hard at everything he does no matter what. I love my Dad because he is really cool and funny. I love my Dad because he is always honest. I love my Dad because I can talk to him and he always helps me.




FROM JOSHUA:
I love my dad (unlike Alex’s, whose going to college, my Dad because everyone know s you can’t capitalize dad, mom, aunt etc. after a possessive pronoun) because he hit me in the forehead with a baseball and made me dive into wooden stairs at the boardwalk (I still caught it); because he drove me to my five-thousand sports games, because he and Caleb are the only ones who have the same sense of humor; because he calls me hammer-head, nimrod, nail-boy, run-into-a-wire-holding-up-a-tree-boy, doofus, and says I run like a duck; because he invented being really-really-ridiculously-good-looking and I perfected it; I love him even though he’s a “sad strange little man” and I can fix my hair by looking in his bald spot. I love my dad because he didn’t raise me a pagan (though he calls us heathens) and supports my vocation.



FROM CALEB:
I LOVE MY DAD because he is funny and does triathlons and he drives me to all my soccer games!



FROM ELIZABETH:
I LOVE MY DAD BECAUSE HE’S SO GREAT HE ALWAYS PROVIDES FOR US AND HELPS US FIX THINGS THAT WE MESSED UP.
I LOVE YOU DAD!!!





FROM BARBARA:
1. You are insane
2. You are funny
3. You are fun
4. You are stylish
5. You are sardonic
6. You love me
7. You love us
8. You are a really good cook
9. WE all Love you
10.You are perfect for us!!! (me)




FROM JOSEPH:
I LOVE MY DAD BECAUSE HE HAS A COOL LAPTOP, CAMERA, AND PHONE. He also took me to see Speed Racer!




From Robert:
I love you dad because you always tell really, really, funny jokes!!!




FROM DOMINIC:
BECAUSE HE ROCKS! HE IS FUNNY AND HE SPRAYS WIP CREAM IN HIS MOUTH!!!



FROM MARY:
HE DIDN’T BEAT ME FOR WRITING ON THE CAR WITH A ROCK!!!




FROM CECILIA:
BECAUSE HE BLOGS ABOUT ME MORE THAN ANYONE!!!



FROM ERIC:
I LOVE MY DAD BECAUSE HE LOVES MY MOMMY SO MUCH!!!

Family Motto...

Matthew 5: 13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

While I am away from blogging...

WHILE I AM WORKING ON DECLUTTERING 19 YEARS+ OF JUNK...VISIT MY HUBBY TO SEE WHAT OUR CRAZY FAMILY IS UP TO...be prepared to get to confession asap after reading it...http://sardoniccatholicdad.blogspot.com/.
+JMJ+sam